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18 November 1999
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HR/ESC/99/33
18 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF ARGENTINA'S REPORT
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning continued its consideration of the second periodic report of Argentina by querying a Government delegation on such issues as immigration, the consequences of privatization on employment, the situation of black minorities and the role of older citizens, among other things.
The Argentinean delegation said it was difficult to determine the effectiveness of various training programmes, workshops and courses due to a lack of proper evaluation. However, it added, the Government continued to provide occupational training and had ensured access to training for all workers.
Committee Experts asked the delegation, among other things, why the Government eased immigration requirements for Europeans but not for persons coming from neighbouring countries; about the consequences of the privatization schemes on employment; whether black minorities had equal opportunities in employment and other social benefits; and about the situation of older people in employment.
Argentina, as one of 142 States parties of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, has to submit periodic reports to the Committee on its compliance with the provisions of the treaty.
In the beginning of the morning meeting, the Committee held a private session to consider a draft of concluding observations and recommendations on the report of Bulgaria, which was examined by the Committee this week.
The Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. to finalize its consideration of the second periodic report of Argentina.
Discussion
In response to the numerous queries asked by Committee Experts during Wednesday’s meeting, members of the Argentinean delegation said the Government's policy was to development its economy, which would procure full enjoyment to the population of its economic rights. Since the entire economy was reformed in 1991, the poverty level continued to decrease until 1994, when once again the level of poverty increased and was coupled with galloping inflation. In addition, the change of regimes through a free and democratic election had demonstrated the wish of the people in opting for a better economic policy.
The victims of unemployment and poverty, owing to the economic crisis, were not only indigenous and ethnic minorities, the Argentinean officials said. The actual economic crisis did not affected just a small segment of the population, but rather every sector had been touched without distinction. In many provincial capitals, programmes of reinsertion of indigenous and ethnic minorities had been carried out to tackle their economic problems.
Because of the lack of proper evaluation of the various training programmes, workshops and courses, it was difficult to determine their effectiveness, it said. However, the Government had continued to provide occupational training and had ensured access to training by all workers.
The delegation added that the idea of temporary jobs was aimed at reducing labour costs through tax exemptions or reduction of costs in the event of the employee's dismissal. It was also aimed at ensuring flexibility in labour contracts. As of the end of 1998, there were 255,000 temporary employees working in the formal sectors of the economy. At present, approximately 45,000 persons continued to work on temporary contracts.
It was the country's Congress which determined the working hours through acts governing working days and hours, the delegation said. However, Argentina's working hours kept with the rest of the Latin American countries.
Among the active working population of Argentina, 1.9 million persons, or 14.5 per cent, were unemployed, the delegation said. In 1991, unemployment insurance was established to protect persons in the event of non-employment. The Government had also launched programmes to protect employment in general, the delegation added.
There were many criticisms about frequent accidents at work and occupational illness, prompting the Government to improve the situation, the delegation said. The Government realized the situation had to be reexamined and changed. Until 1996, complaints of accidents were not compensated promptly, and any complaints had to be substantiated before labour courts. At present, any complaints could be directly addressed through risk insurance, thus avoiding the long proceedings of courts.
Committee Experts asked the delegation, among other things, why the Government eased immigration rules for Europeans but not for persons coming from neighbouring countries; about the consequences of the privatization schemes on employment; whether black minorities had equal opportunities in employment and other social benefits; and about the situation of older people in employment.
HR/ESC/99/33
18 November 1999
COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL RIGHTS CONTINUES CONSIDERATION OF ARGENTINA'S REPORT
The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights this morning continued its consideration of the second periodic report of Argentina by querying a Government delegation on such issues as immigration, the consequences of privatization on employment, the situation of black minorities and the role of older citizens, among other things.
The Argentinean delegation said it was difficult to determine the effectiveness of various training programmes, workshops and courses due to a lack of proper evaluation. However, it added, the Government continued to provide occupational training and had ensured access to training for all workers.
Committee Experts asked the delegation, among other things, why the Government eased immigration requirements for Europeans but not for persons coming from neighbouring countries; about the consequences of the privatization schemes on employment; whether black minorities had equal opportunities in employment and other social benefits; and about the situation of older people in employment.
Argentina, as one of 142 States parties of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, has to submit periodic reports to the Committee on its compliance with the provisions of the treaty.
In the beginning of the morning meeting, the Committee held a private session to consider a draft of concluding observations and recommendations on the report of Bulgaria, which was examined by the Committee this week.
The Committee will reconvene at 3 p.m. to finalize its consideration of the second periodic report of Argentina.
Discussion
In response to the numerous queries asked by Committee Experts during Wednesday’s meeting, members of the Argentinean delegation said the Government's policy was to development its economy, which would procure full enjoyment to the population of its economic rights. Since the entire economy was reformed in 1991, the poverty level continued to decrease until 1994, when once again the level of poverty increased and was coupled with galloping inflation. In addition, the change of regimes through a free and democratic election had demonstrated the wish of the people in opting for a better economic policy.
The victims of unemployment and poverty, owing to the economic crisis, were not only indigenous and ethnic minorities, the Argentinean officials said. The actual economic crisis did not affected just a small segment of the population, but rather every sector had been touched without distinction. In many provincial capitals, programmes of reinsertion of indigenous and ethnic minorities had been carried out to tackle their economic problems.
Because of the lack of proper evaluation of the various training programmes, workshops and courses, it was difficult to determine their effectiveness, it said. However, the Government had continued to provide occupational training and had ensured access to training by all workers.
The delegation added that the idea of temporary jobs was aimed at reducing labour costs through tax exemptions or reduction of costs in the event of the employee's dismissal. It was also aimed at ensuring flexibility in labour contracts. As of the end of 1998, there were 255,000 temporary employees working in the formal sectors of the economy. At present, approximately 45,000 persons continued to work on temporary contracts.
It was the country's Congress which determined the working hours through acts governing working days and hours, the delegation said. However, Argentina's working hours kept with the rest of the Latin American countries.
Among the active working population of Argentina, 1.9 million persons, or 14.5 per cent, were unemployed, the delegation said. In 1991, unemployment insurance was established to protect persons in the event of non-employment. The Government had also launched programmes to protect employment in general, the delegation added.
There were many criticisms about frequent accidents at work and occupational illness, prompting the Government to improve the situation, the delegation said. The Government realized the situation had to be reexamined and changed. Until 1996, complaints of accidents were not compensated promptly, and any complaints had to be substantiated before labour courts. At present, any complaints could be directly addressed through risk insurance, thus avoiding the long proceedings of courts.
Committee Experts asked the delegation, among other things, why the Government eased immigration rules for Europeans but not for persons coming from neighbouring countries; about the consequences of the privatization schemes on employment; whether black minorities had equal opportunities in employment and other social benefits; and about the situation of older people in employment.