Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Sudan (Ratification: 1970)

Follow-up to the conclusions of the Committee on the Application of Standards (International Labour Conference, 106th Session, June 2017)

The Committee recalls that the Conference Committee on the Application of Standards, during its 106th Session held in June 2017, noted the persistence of high unemployment and underemployment in the country, which principally affects the persons in vulnerable situations, women and young people. In its conclusions, the Conference Committee requested the Government to develop a coherent strategy, in the framework of the national policy, to promote full, productive and freely chosen employment with the participation of representatives of the most representative employers’ and workers’ organizations. It also requested the Government to continue availing itself of ILO’s technical assistance, so that the capacity of employers’ and workers’ representatives in this respect could be strengthened. Finally, the Conference Committee also invited the Government to avail itself of the ILO’s technical assistance to implement the above conclusions and achieve full, productive and freely chosen employment. The Committee notes that an armed conflict erupted in the country in 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, and that this conflict is still ongoing. While recognizing the complexity of the prevailing situation due to the presence of armed groups and armed conflict in the country, the Committee trusts that the Government will make every effort to make the objective of securing full, productive and freely chosen employment an integral part of its strategic vision for the sustainable future of the country. In this respect, the Committee wishes to highlight the added value of the Employment and Decent Work for Peace and Resilience Recommendation, 2017 (No. 205), which emphasizes the importance of employment in recovery and resilience and provides guidance on generating employment and decent work to promote peace and resilience in crisis situations arising from conflicts and disasters. Highlighting issues such as gender equality, social dialogue, the creation of sustainable enterprises and robust social protection systems, the Recommendation focuses on addressing the root causes of fragility and taking preventive measures.

Articles 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention. Formulation of an employment policy and coordination with poverty reduction. Consultation with the social partners. The Committee refers to its previous comments where it noted the Government’s indication that a road map was developed for the implementation of the national employment policy. A 35member working group of the tripartite High Consultative Committee for the National Employment Policy was tasked with formulating the policy, in accordance with Decision No. 33 of 28 August 2014 of the Minister of Labour and Administrative Reform. The High Consultative Committee carried out its work through specialized committees and working groups, supported by international experts. The final version of the policy was approved by the High Consultative Committee on 15 November 2017. The Committee recalls that the policy was submitted to the competent department in the Council of Ministers on 25 September 2018 and was to be resubmitted to the Council of Ministers for approval. A steering committee was established under Administrative Decision No. 16 of 2020 to oversee the completion of the modernization process. Efforts towards the policy have included an analysis of the social, economic and political situation through various initiatives, such as a rapid labour force survey, an in-depth study of credit and central bank policies, an in-depth study of fiscal and monetary policies related to employment, and a panel survey. The Government indicates that the results of these analyses will be shared with the social partners, stakeholders and all relevant parties to achieve a revised and up-to-date national employment policy that addresses priorities, including the provision of decent work opportunities for young people and women. The policy aims to improve the labour market, making it more dynamic while promoting coordination among institutions at both central and state levels. However, the Government indicates that the national employment policy has yet to be adopted, as a draft national employment policy is currently under review. Regarding Article 3 of the Convention on the consultations with representatives of the persons affected by employment policies, the Government indicates that it has established the Steering Committee, which includes representatives from employers’, workers’ and civil society organizations, as well as researchers and academics. It adds that social dialogue has been promoted through Steering Committee meetings and via a technical committee that follows up on the review and update process of the draft national employment policy, reinforcing the principle of social dialogue. Additionally, the Government indicates that it is currently seeking to implement measures to facilitate the transition from the informal to the formal economy. The Committee notes the Government’s request for support from the ILO to review and update the national employment policy. The Committee notes with regret that the policy formulation and adoption process is yet to be concluded. The Committee emphasizes that employment policies are crucial for sustainable national economic and social development and for addressing issues such as high unemployment and underemployment, particularly among women and young persons; poverty especially in rural areas and rising inequality; skills mismatch; high numbers of refugees and internally displaced persons adding pressure on the labour market and social services; and the destruction of critical infrastructure, including roads, factories and agricultural land. Taking into account that the process to formulate the national employment policy began in 2014, the Committee hopes that the Government will be able to indicate progress made in this regard in the very near future, and asks it to provide updated detailed information in this respect in its next report, in accordance with the recommendations made by the Conference Committee in 2017, and to provide a copy of the policy once it is adopted. The Committee also requests the Government to continue to provide detailed information on the consultations held with the social partners regarding the formulation and implementation of an active employment policy, as well as to provide information on consultations with representatives of the persons affected by the measures to be taken, such as women, young persons, and those working in rural areas and in the informal economy. Furthermore, noting that informality remains a significant issue in the labour market in Sudan, the Committee requests the Government to indicate the manner in which the employment policy tackles this issue, considering the very high informality rates prevailing in the private sector, the fact that many workers in Sudan are in vulnerable informal employment, with a large share working only irregularly for a low income, and enduring long working hours and unsafe and unhealthy working conditions, and that employment is largely concentrated within microenterprises, which often lack the resources to provide formal employment conditions (ILOSTAT: Statistics on the Informal Economy). The Committee emphasizes in this regard the importance of securing a strategic policy framework aimed at building the gateways for the transition from the informal to the formal economy as reflected in the Transition from the Informal to the Formal Economy Recommendation, 2015 (No. 204). This Recommendation is based on the recognition that the informal economy poses a major obstacle to sustainable development and is characterized by the denial of rights at work, insufficient opportunities for quality employment, inadequate social protection and low productivity. It sets out a dynamic vision for its successful implementation through the integration of national policy frameworks, of which employment policies represent a central part.

Article 2. Collection and use of labour market data. Employment trends. In reference to Article 2 of the Convention, the Government indicates that the national employment policy will include a two-year priority action plan with a framework for assessment and follow-up. To study and assess the evolving state of the national labour market and develop labour policies, the Government has undertaken various surveys to collect, compile and disseminate data. A survey assessing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Sudan has also been conducted as part of the efforts to prepare the draft national employment policy. Additionally, a panel survey of the Sudanese labour market covering the years 2021–22 has been completed. While the Committee notes the surveys referenced by the Government, it observes that no statistical data was included in the report. Emphasizing the importance of data collection and analysis as a central component of policy design and implementation, the Committee strongly encourages the Government to duly collect and process labour market-related data and to provide with its next report updated statistical data, disaggregated as much as possible, on the situation and trends of employment, unemployment and visible underemployment, in the formal and informal economies.