Question 23:

The report states that “ no complaints about gender-based discrimination in the field of employment have been lodged, signifying that the laws are fully applied in the regular employment market ” (p. 52). However, it goes on to point out that employment offices regularly fail to offer job opportunities to women registered with them; many employers have “ no qualms ” about violating provisions of the Employment Act due to poor implementation of such provisions; and that, if initiated, legal proceedings drag on for years and are exploited by employers to pressurize employees (p. 56). Please indicate concrete measures contemplated to ensure compliance with the Employment Act and other relevant legislation and improve women ’ s access to justice.

The Employment Act No. 91 of 1954 provides for equal job opportunities for both sexes, as well as for equal rights and obligations. Regardless of gender, jobs are allocated on the basis of scientific and technical competence, which is also true in the case of employment bureaux, which provide equal opportunities for females and males based on the order in which they register with the bureau. There is also a growing interest in the situation of women employed in the private sector, in particular to ensure that employers take no liberties with the laws. In that context, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labour is training employment inspectors to perform the work required of them. The working women’s committees are also making efforts to inform women workers of their rights through a number of seminars and workshops. The legal tools are furthermore available to both sexes, although procedures are usually slow owing to the administrative routine and lack of automation. However, no complaints of gender-based violence in the workplace have yet been lodged with the courts. A study on the impact of the main demographic, social, organizational and institutional factors on the attitudes of women employees is now being conducted. The aim of the study is to show the impact of the relevant main factors on the attitudes of Syrian women employed in business organizations in the private sector and to explore the factors which help to narrow the gap in administrative practices that fail to promote the use of women’s capacities.

Question 24:

According to the report, women are forbidden from working in certain kinds of jobs that are deemed “ detrimental to health or morally damaging ” and during certain hours at night (pp. 11, 55). Please provide a full list of the jobs that women are forbidden from working in and indicate whether the potential discriminatory impact of such provisions of the Employment Act of 1959 on women ’ s employment has been evaluated and provide details of any such evaluation, especially in light of article 11 (1) (b) of the Convention.

The Employment Act provides that the same conditions of employment apply to both men and women. It prohibits the employment of women, however, in jobs that are physically demanding or harmful to the foetus in the case of pregnant women. These jobs include all those in the field of heavy industry other than clerical jobs, as well as mining, quarrying, metal and glass smelting, the manufacture of explosives and fireworks and other similar types of work. It is prohibited to employ pregnant and nursing women in jobs where they are liable to handle materials that affect the foetus, chemical substances or heavy weights (whether involving pulling or pushing).

Under the Act, it is also prohibited to assign women to night shifts between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with the exception of the following:

–Doctors, nurses, midwives and workers in hospitals, sanatoriums and clinics;

–Workers in postal, cable and telephone offices;

–Attendants and staff in airports and airline companies;

–Workers in the television, radio and press;

–Women engaged in work to prevent certain loss of highly perishable items;

–Restaurant and bar staff;

–Actresses on stage and in theatre troupes;

–Artists.

It is worth mentioning that the oversight committees engage in daily drives to ensure that the law is applied.

(Annex 8 — List of prohibited jobs)

Question 25:

The report states that Syria has no legislation (i) providing for flexible job patterns that give men and women the opportunity to combine work and family responsibilities, such as job-sharing or permanent part-time work (ii) on paternity leave and (iii) allowing couples to divide maternity leave (p. 54). In addition, the report mentions that the childcare facilities are scattered, disorganized and not up to par (p. 54). Please indicate measures that are being implemented to overcome such obstacles to women ’ s equal opportunities in the labour market.

The Employment Act makes no provision for the equal responsibilities of men and women as far as domestic duties are concerned and similarly gives parental leave to mothers only. Neither does it ease the task of combining the responsibilities of home and work by legislating for half-time posts, for example. The principle of equal job opportunities for men and women is, however, guaranteed by law and the Constitution.

As for the provision of childcare facilities, in order to facilitate harmony between the responsibilities of work and home, as well as achieve the strategic aims of the State, the Women’s Committee of the General Federation of Labour Unions is now compiling statistics on the number of nurseries opened and on the number of carers and beds, together with proposals for their development. The Employment Act No. 91 also provides for the establishment of nurseries, which now exist in most ministries and State institutions. The Syrian General Women’s Federation also runs a large number of nurseries and kindergartens.

Modernizing and Activating Women’s Role in Economic Development (MAWRED) has published and circulated four studies, in addition to which it has organized lectures on women’s issues (such as working from home, family safety and the household budget) in order to promote awareness. It has further published a socio-economic study on the status of Syrian women, institutions that are supportive of women, laws and so on. MAWRED also produced a study on the contribution of women to the family income, which forms part of their invisible work. The study pointed out the dangers of unpaid work and the situation of women working at home in towns and rural areas, concluding that it is important to raise awareness of gender roles and divide them between men and women.

Question 26:

The report notes the large female workforce in the informal job market, where there is no control or social protection. What steps are being taken or contemplated to ensure legal and social protection for the women in the informal job market, as well as those women undertaking contractual or piece work?

The Employment Act regulates the market for all types of work, both public and private, and governs all sectors. It also regulates the job opportunities available on that market. As already mentioned, the Employment Act provides for the equal rights and obligations of men and women, with the exception of jobs prohibited to women for health or safety reasons. Moreover, under no circumstances may a contract of employment include clauses that violate the provisions of the Employment Act.

Question 27 (article 12):

Please indicate whether existing programmes to combat HIV/AIDS integrate a gender perspective and whether special measures for prevention are in place that target women.

All of the strategies and programmes aimed at combating HIV/AIDS take into account gender considerations. These programmes cover primary health care, reproductive health, counselling, prevention and voluntary testing. There is also an AIDS programme run under the supervision of the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with the World Health Organization (WHO) and governmental, grass-roots and non-governmental organizations. This project seeks to provide the necessary services, hold awareness-raising workshops and publish health leaflets. There is also a helpline for queries and advice and there are central laboratories for monitoring cases. Non-governmental organizations are increasingly active in spreading health awareness as an important means of prevention. One example is the ongoing work of the Family Planning Association, which holds seminars to spread awareness of reproductive health matters, as well as training workshops for young persons of both sexes.

Question 28:

The report indicates that “ a woman still needs her husband to consent to her leaving the house or to accompany her to the health service ” and that the “ failure to take women ’ s wishes into consideration may also inhibit their use of some of the available services ” (pp. 64-65). Please indicate measures contemplated to address these barriers to women ’ s access to, and use of, health-care facilities.

The Syrian Commission for Family Affairs, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the Syrian General Women’s Federation, carried out a study on women’s health empowerment with a view to establishment of the mechanisms needed to fill the gaps which emerged in the study, including the factors mentioned in the report. The Federation also runs awareness-raising programmes for all women, particularly in rural areas, as does the Family Planning Association. The Commission has recently worked together with the Ministry of Awqaf to set up workshops with religious leaders in all governorates in order to promote the idea of reproductive health and the responsibility of both parents in that connection.

Question 29:

According to the report, rural women have high rates of illiteracy and unemployment, lack access to vocational training, do not own land and are not given the right to make decisions on family and economic matters (p. 74). The report states that there is a programme being run by the Rural Women ’ s Development Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform to “ integrate the development of rural women into programmes of action as a main strategic concern ” (p. 14). Please elaborate on the concrete measures being taken (including through the programme by the Rural Women ’ s Development Unit) to address issues faced by rural women, and describe the impact of such measures.

The Ministry of Agriculture devotes attention to the development of rural women through the Directorate for the Development of Rural Women, which has adopted a training programme with a manual and instructors. It has also adopted a microcredit programme, funded 27,000 women farmers and created over 30,000 job opportunities.

The National Strategy for the Advancement of Rural Women includes a special literacy programme in the section on women and education. The section on women and the economy focuses on the need for training to improve the performance of rural women and enable them to use agricultural technology. As for the section on women and the law, it points out the importance of raising rural women’s awareness of their rights, including the right to own farming land.

In terms of achievements, the Rural Women’s Development Unit has implemented a number of women’s empowerment projects, some with the support of international organizations, an investment that has effectively enhanced the socio-economic circumstances of the women benefiting from such projects.

Question 30:

The report states that the articles of the Personal Status Act are largely discriminatory and that “ work is currently under way for the proposal of a modern family law that guarantees equal rights for men and women ” (p. 15). Please provide information about the scope of these proposals and their anticipated compliance with the Convention as well as the anticipated time frame for action thereon.

As already mentioned, the Tenth Five-Year Plan emphasizes the need for review of the legislation relating to women, culminating in a civil family code. In that connection, the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs has prepared a bill that will be discussed with all of the concerned governmental and non-governmental organizations with a view to its finalization and submission to the competent authorities for consideration and subsequent presentation to the People’s Assembly. The proposals encompassed in the bill are directed towards the equal rights and obligations of men and women.

Question 31:

Please indicate any progress made towards ratification/accession of the Optional Protocol to the Convention.

Submitted by the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs to the Office of the Prime Minister, the proposal for removal of the reservations to the Convention contained a paragraph proposing ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, adopted by United Nations General Assembly resolution 54/4 of 15 October 1999. It will be considered after it has been presented to a number of the concerned governmental bodies (Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

Annex 1

Main educational indicators

Table 1Illiteracy among men and women (15 years and over)

(Percentage)

Sex	1970 1	1981 1	1995 2	1999 3	2001 4	2002 4	2006
Women	80.0	62.9	31.6	26.3	22.2	21.3	24.2
Men	40.4	26.4	11.5	9.7	8.1	7.5	9
Gap (men - women)	-39.6	-36.5	-20.1	-16.6	-14.1	-13.8	-15.2
Ratio (men/women)	2.0	2.4	2.7	2.7	2.7	2.8	2.7

Source:

1.Population census of 1970 and 1981, Central Bureau of Statistics.

2.Workforce (job market) survey, 1995, Central Bureau of Statistics.

3.Multipurpose survey, 1999, Central Bureau of Statistics.

4.Workforce in 2001 and 2002.

Table 2Illiteracy among men and women (15 years and over) by age in 1999

(Percentage)

Age groups	Women	Men	Total (men - women)
15-19	6.3	2.7	-3.6
20-24	8.8	3.2	-5.6
25-2 9	14.1	3.7	-10.4
30-34	21.9	6.4	-15.5
35-39	31.6	8.0	-23.6
40-44	40.7	10.0	-30.7
45-49	48.1	12.6	-35.5
50-54	56.2	16.3	-39.9
55-59	65.2	19.9	-45.3
60-64	72.2	28.3	-43.9
65 and over	78.3	41.5	-36.8

Source: Multipurpose survey, 1999, Central Bureau of Statistics.

Table 3Illiteracy among men and women (15 years and over) by age in 2006

( Percentage )

Age groups	Women	Men	Total (men - women)
15-19	4.8	3.6	-1.1
20-24	8.9	4.5	-4.4
25- 2 9	12.1	4.6	-7.4
30-34	16.2	4.4	-11.8
35-39	22.7	6.3	-16.4
40-44	30.4	7.0	-23.4
45-49	41.1	9.2	-31.9
50-54	53.0	13.7	-39.2
55-59	63.3	16.3	-47.0
60-64	69.3	22.9	-46.4
65 and above	78.0	44.0	-34.0

Source: Workforce survey, 2006, second quarter, Central Bureau of Statistics.

Table 4Proportion of women per 100 men by stage of education

Year	Primary	Preparatory	Secondary
1970	53.9	53.5	29.3
1980	72.4	56.1	58.8
1990	85.2	69.7	75.4
1999	88.6	85.2	92.6
2002	89.8	85	96.9
2005	92	87.5	102.1

Table 5Breakdown of students in schools and vocational training centres by sex

( Percentage )

Year	Women	Men	Gap (men-women)	Ratio (women/men)
1980	38	62	24	0.6
1990	47	53	6	0.9
2000	49	51	2	1.0
2005	43.7	56.3	12.6	0.8

Table 6Pre-university teaching staff by stage of education and sex

( Percentage )

Sex	1970	1980	1999	2000	2002	2005 *
Primary stage :
Women	38.5	52.8	63.6	65.7	67.2	64.5
Men	60.5	47.2	36.4	34.3	32.8	35.5
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100
Women per 100 men	62	111	175	191	204.8	181.9
Preparatory and secondary stages :
Women	21.3	32.1	43.2	48.2	49.5	45.8
Men	78.7	67.9	56.8	51.8	50.5	54.2
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100
Women per 100 men	27	47	78	93	98	85.1

*Primary means basic education.

Table 7Government spending on female education

(Percentage)

Stage	Percentage of total spending on education per stage
Primary from 1-6	47.4
General secondary	47.7
Vocational secondary	44.8
Total	47.2

Source: Ministry of Education.

Table 8Students in the primary stage

(Percentage)

Year	Males	Females
1970	65.0	35.0
1980	58.0	42.0
1990	54.0	46.0
1999	53.0	47.0
2000	53.0	47.0
2001	52.8	47.2
2002	52.8	47.2
2005	52.1	47.9

Table 9Students in the preparatory stage

( Percentage )

Year	Males	Females
1970	74.0	26.0
1980	64.0	36.0
1990	59.0	41.0
1999	54.0	46.0
2000	54.1	45.9
2001	54.5	45.5
2002	54.1	45.9
2005	53.2	46.8

Table 10Students in the secondary stage

( Percentage )

Year	Males	Females
1970	77.0	23.0
1980	63.0	37.0
1990	57.0	43.0
1999	52.0	48.0
2000	50.9	49.1
2001	51.0	49.0
2002	50.9	49.1
2005	49.5	50.5

Table 11University students (1998-2002)

Year	Males	Females	Total	Percentage of males	Percentage of females
1998	78 285	57 617	135 902	57.6	42.2
1999	85 262	66 107	151 369	56.3	43.7
2000	87 659	67 478	155 137	56.5	43.5
2001	95 011	77 842	172 853	55.0	45.0
2002	102 749	88 001	190 750	53.9	46.1
2005*	243 049	210 456	453 505	53.6	46.4

*Students in higher education (institutes + universities).

Table 12Proportion of females over males in various faculties (2002-2003)

Faculty	Humanities	Science	Education	Arts	Pharmacy	Economics
Females	69	37	28	15	11	8
Males	23	19	6	2	5	4
Total	92	56	34	17	16	12

Breakdown of workers aged 15 and over by main occupation status, sector and sex (2006 — June cycle)

	Government		Private regulated		Unregulated		Other
	Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Employer					241 658	10 364	252 022		160 711	3 736	164 447		36 223	1 075	37 297	438 592	15 175	453 767
Self-employed					431 732	22 650	454 337		525 725	16 535	542 261		193 427	19 864	213 291	1 150 885	59 004	1 290 889
Waged	998 932	335 340	1 334 271		636 125	64 427	700 551		689 868	37 581	727 450		39 473	5 392	44 865	2 364 397	442 740	2 807 137
Family business					65 728	17 081	82 809		104 626	25 607	130 233		130 190	102 975	233 165	300 544	145 664	446 207
Other					3 494	336	3 830		7 116	339	7 456		708	702	1 411	11 319	1 377	12 696
Total	998 932	335 340	1 334 271		1 378 737	114 813	1 493 550		1 488 047	83 798	1 571 846		400 021	130 008	530 029	4 265 737	663 959	4 929 696

Percentage breakdown of workers aged 15 and over by main occupation status, sector and sex (2006 — June cycle)

	Government		Private regulated		Unregulated		Other
	Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Employer					17.5	9.0	16.9		10.8	4.5	10.5		9.1	0.8	7.0	10.3	2.3	9.2
Self-employed					31.3	19.7	30.4		35.3	19.7	34.5		48.4	15.3	40.2	27.0	8.9	24.5
Waged	100.0	100.0	100.0		46.1	56.1	46.9		46.4	44.8	46.3		9.9	4.1	8.5	55.4	66.7	56.9
Family business					4.8	14.9	5.5		7.0	30.6	8.3		32.5	79.2	44.0	7.0	21.9	9.1
Other					0.3	0.3	0.3		0.5	0.4	0.5		0.2	0.5	0.3	0.3	0.2	0.3
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

Breakdown of workers aged 15 and over by economic activity of main occupation, sector and sex (2006 — June cycle)

	Government		Private regulated		Unregulated		Other
	Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Agriculture and forestry	25 776	7 115	32 890		107 547	26 878	134 426		352 110	56 105	408 215		275 789	119 430	395 219	761 222	209 528	970 750
Industry	107 960	13 162	121 122		428 084	24 152	452 237		128 576	10 703	139 279		26 069	3 160	29 229	690 689	51 177	741 866
Building and construction	22 784		22 784		89 976	1 061	91 037		515 190	2 412	517 601		19 783		19 783	647 733	3 472	651 205
Hotels and restaurants	13 535	1 603	15 138		492 392	19 393	511 913		200 913	6 026	206 939		43 358	3 862	47 219	750 198	30 883	781 081
Transport	44 913	3 483	48 396		76 659	2 783	79 442		198 474	690	199 164		19 886		19 886	339 933	6 956	346 889
Finance, insurance and real estate	11 785	2 436	14 220		69 164	7 775	76 939		27 019		27 019		3 836	350	4 816	111 804	10 561	122 365
Services	772 178	307 541	1 079 720		114 914	32 770	147 684		65 766	7 863	73 629		11 300	3 207	14 507	964 157	351 381	1 315 539
Total	998 932	335 340	1 334 271		1 378 737	114 813	1 493 550		1 488 047	83 798	1 571 846		400 021	130 008	530 029	4 265 737	663 959	4 929 696

Percentage breakdown of workers aged 15 and over by economic activity of main occupation, sector and sex (2006 — June cycle)

	Government		Private regulated		Non-regulated		Other
	Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
Agriculture and forestry	2.6	2.1	2.5		7.8	23.4	9.0		23.7	67.0	26.0		68.9	91.9	74.6	17.8	31.6	19.7
Industry	10.8	3.9	9.1		31.0	21.0	30.3		8.6	12.8	8.9		6.5	2.4	5.5	16.2	7.7	15.0
Building and construction	2.3		1.7		6.5	0.9	6.1		34.6	2.9	32.9		4.9		3.7	15.2	0.5	13.2
Hotels and restaurants	1.4	0.5	1.1		35.7	16.9	34.3		13.5	7.2	13.2		10.8	3.0	8.9	17.6	4.7	15.8
Transport	4.5	1.0	3.6		5.6	2.4	5.3		13.3	0.8	12.7		5.0		3.8	8.0	1.0	7.0
Finance, insurance and real estate	1.2	0.7	1.1		5.0	6.8	5.2		1.8		1.7		1.0	0.3	0.8	2.6	1.6	2.5
Services	77.3	91.7	80.9		8.3	28.5	9.9		4.4	9.4	4.7		2.8	2.5	2.7	22.6	52.9	26.7
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

Breakdown of workers aged 15 and over by monthly wage category in the main occupation, sector and sex (2006 — June cycle)

		Under 3 000	3 000-3 999	4 000-4 999	5 000-5 999	6 000-6 999	7 000+	Not specified	Total
Gover n ment	Males	28 843	12 943	25 148	35 227	83 696	807 444	5 630	998 932
Females	2 827	754	6 299	11 271	29 844	282 396	1 949	335 340
Total	31 670	13 697	31 447	46 498	113 541	1 089 840	7 579	1 334 271
Private regulated	Males	24 504	36 640	71 749	71 977	108 979	321 200	1 077	636 125
Females	4 580	8 288	10 715	14 651	7 309	18 883		64 427
Total	29 084	44 928	82 464	86 628	116 288	340 082	1 077	700 551
Unregulated	Males	13 507	31 675	53 976	81 391	128 917	378 193	2 210	689 868
Females	3 226	8 678	8 194	8 557	3 425	5 501		37 581
Total	16 733	40 353	62 170	89 948	132 342	383 694	2 210	727 450
Other	Males	1 041	343	4 471	2 501	7 667	22 552	899	39 473
Females	687		339	687	1 400	1 721	560	5 392
Total	1 727	343	4 809	3 188	9 066	24 272	1 459	44 865
Males		67 894	81 602	155 344	191 096	329 258	1 529 388	9 815	2 364 397
Females		11 320	17 719	25 547	35 166	41 978	308 501	2 509	442 740
Total		79 214	99 321	180 891	226 261	371 237	1 837 889	12 324	2 807 137

Percentage breakdown of workers aged 15 and over by monthly wage category in the main occupation, sector and sex

(2006 — June cycle)

		Under 3 000	3 000-3 999	4 000-4 999	5 000-5 999	6 000-6 999	7 000+	Not specified	Total
Gover n ment	Males	2.9	1.3	2.5	3.5	8.4	80.8	0.6	100.0
Females	0.8	0.2	1.9	3.4	8.9	84.2	0.6	100.0
Total	2.4	1.0	2.4	3.5	8.5	81.7	0.6	100.0
Private regulated	Males	3.9	5.8	11.3	11.3	17.1	50.5	0.2	100.0
Females	7.1	12.9	16.6	22.7	11.3	29.3		100.0
Total	4.2	6.4	11.8	12.4	16.6	48.5	0.2	100.0
Unregulated	Males	2.0	4.6	7.8	11.8	18.7	54.8	0.3	100.0
Females	8.6	23.1	21.8	22.8	9.1	14.6		100.0
Total	2.3	5.5	8.5	12.4	18.2	52.7	0.3	100.0
Other	Males	2.6	0.9	11.3	6.3	19.4	57.1	2.3	100.0
Females	12.7		6.3	12.7	26.0	31.9	10.4	100.0
Total	3.9	0.8	10.7	7.1	20.2	54.1	3.3	100.0
Males		2.9	3.5	6.6	8.1	13.9	64.7	0.4	100.0
Females		2.6	4.0	5.8	7.9	9.5	69.7	0.6	100.0
Total		2.8	3.5	6.4	8.1	13.2	65.5	0.4	100.0

Breakdown of unemployed persons aged 15 and over by age and sex (2006 — June cycle)

	Newly unemployed		Long-term unemployed
	Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
15-19	8 672	1 404	10 076		63 155	31 711	94 866	71 826	33 115	107 942
20-24	12 842	6 081	18 923		79 396	71 885	151 282	92 239	77 966	170 205
25-29	14 976	6 822	21 798		40 237	45 877	86 114	55 212	52 699	107 912
30-34	6 958	2 061	9 019		12 088	18 147	30 235	19 046	20 208	39 255
35-39	5 207	1 917	7 187		1 783	8 629	10 412	7 053	10 546	17 600
40-44	2 485	1 034	3 520		1 417	4 122	5 539	3 903	5 156	9 059
45-49	3 032	904	3 935		1 165	343	1 508	4 197	1 247	5 444
50-54	354		354		1 506	777	2 283	1 860	777	2 637
55-59	1 462		1 462			388	388	1 462	388	1 850
60-64	1 251		1 251					1 251		1 251
65+	691		691					691		691
Total	57 993	20 224	78 216		200 748	181 880	382 628	258 741	202 104	460 845

Percentage breakdown of unemployed persons aged 15 and over by age and sex (2006 — June cycle)

	Newly unemployed		Long-term unemployed
	Males	Females	Total		Males	Females	Total	Males	Females	Total
15-19	15.0	6.9	12.9		31.5	17.4	24.8	27.8	16.4	22.8
20-24	22.1	30.1	24.2		39.6	39.5	39.5	35.6	38.6	36.9
25-29	25.8	33.7	27.9		20.0	25.2	22.5	21.3	26.1	23.4
30-34	12.0	10.2	11.5		6.0	10.0	7.9	7.4	10.0	8.5
35-39	9.1	9.5	9.2		0.9	4.7	2.7	2.7	5.2	3.8
40-44	4.3	5.1	4.5		0.7	2.3	1.4	1.5	2.6	2.0
45-49	5.2	4.5	5.0		0.6	0.2	0.4	1.6	0.6	1.2
50-54	0.6		0.5		0.8	0.4	0.6	0.7	0.4	0.6
55-59	2.5		1.9			0.2	0.1	0.6	0.2	0.4
60-64	2.2		1.6					0.5		0.3
65+	1.2		0.9					0.3		0.1
Total	100.0	100.0	100.0		100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0	100.0

Annex 2

Full text of Act No. 42 of 2003 establishing the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs

Syria

Damascus: President Bashar Al-Asad promulgated Act No. 42 of 2003 establishing a public body to be known as the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs and having its headquarters in Damascus. It is a body corporate with financial and administrative independence and is affiliated with the Prime Minister.

The Commission aims to accelerate advancement of the status of Syrian women and better empower them to contribute to human development efforts.

The text of Act No. 42 is as follows:

The President of the Republic, on the basis of the provisions of the Constitution and the matters approved by the People’s Assembly at its session on 20  Shawwal A.H. 1424 (14 December A.D. 2003), hereby promulgates the following:

Article 1:

A public body to be known as the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs shall be established, with its headquarters in Damascus. It shall be a body corporate with financial and administrative independence and shall be affiliated directly with the Prime Minister.

Article 2:

The Commission shall aim to accelerate advancement of the status of Syrian women and better empower them to contribute to human development efforts.

It shall endeavour to:

–Protect the family, strengthen its coherence and preserve its identity and values;

–Improve family living standards in every aspect;

–Promote the role of the family in development by furthering its interaction with national family-related institutions and bodies, both official and unofficial, in order to serve the objectives of the Commission;

–Cooperate with Arab and international family-related bodies;

–Propose the amendment of family-related laws.

Article 3:

The Commission shall be composed of:

–The Office of the President of the Commission;

–An eight-member board of directors;

–An administrative apparatus.

Article 4:

The President of the Commission shall be designated by decree and shall chair the board of directors. He shall be directly accountable to the Prime Minister and shall receive the same allowance for representation as ministers.

The members of the board of directors shall be designated by a decision of the Prime Minister on the basis of a proposal by the President of the Commission.

If a full-time member of the teaching staff at a Syrian university is designated as a member of the board of directors, he shall receive, in addition to his salary, an allowance equivalent to that which he received in the full-time post. Such allowance shall be payable from the budget of the Commission.

Article 5:

The board of directors shall exercise the following functions and powers:

–Propose development policies, national strategies and plans and programmes relating to family affairs;

–Elaborate plans for field communication and the annual work plan of the Commission;

–Propose the designation of representatives for conferences, seminars or scientific bodies;

–Draft an estimated annual budget for the Commission;

–Prepare reports on the implementation of plans and programmes approved by the Prime Minister;

–Prepare studies and research on family affairs and circulate them to the concerned bodies;

–Cooperate with national institutions and bodies, both official and unofficial, and with concerned associations in order to promote women’s affairs;

–Establish committees and task forces on family affairs, designate their members, determine their tasks and specify their duration by a decision of the board of directors;

–Accept gifts and donations in accordance with the laws and regulations in force.

The President of the Commission shall submit to the Prime Minister for consideration with a view to their adoption the plans, programmes and reports referred to in paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d).

Article 6:

–The board of directors shall meet once monthly and whenever necessary;

–Meetings of the board of directors shall be deemed legal only if an absolute majority of its members, including the chairperson, is present;

–Decisions of the board shall be adopted by a majority vote of the members present. In the case of equal votes, the President shall have the casting vote.

Article 7:

The President of the Commission and chairperson of the board of directors shall assume the following functions and powers:

–Follow up the work of the board of directors and any committees established;

–Seek to develop the Commission’s resources from grants, gifts and donations;

–Convene the regular and extraordinary meetings of the board of directors;

–Oversee the scientific, administrative and financial activities of the Commission, represent it before the courts and act on its behalf with third parties;

–Appoint the staff of the Commission within the limits of its statute and supervise their work;

–Prepare and present the annual budget of the Commission to the board of directors.

Article 8:

The chairperson of the board of directors shall be the treasurer and shall enjoy the powers of a minister with regard to the staff of the Commission and all financial and administrative affairs.

Article 9:

The chairperson of the Commission shall delegate a member of the board of directors to assume his functions and powers in the event of his absence.

Article 10:

All staff of the Commission shall be subject to the provisions of the Basic Law for Civil Servants No. 1 of 1985, as amended.

No separate section for the Commission shall be established in the general State budget. The financial resources of the Commission shall be made up of:

–Assistance earmarked for the Commission by the State in its general budget;

–Income accruing from the movable and immovable assets of the Commission;

–Revenues from funds, projects and programmes run by the Commission;

–Donations, gifts and grants permitted by the laws and regulations in force.

Article 12:

The statute of the Commission shall be issued by decree and its financial regulations by a decision of the Prime Minister.

Article 13:

The Commission may engage experts or specialists through fixed-term contracts of employment, without being restricted to maximum pay limits. Such contracts shall be approved by a decision of the Prime Minister.

Article 14:

The Commission shall be subject to financial monitoring by the central apparatus.

Article 15:

Items imported by the Commission in order to achieve its objectives shall be free of all taxes and duties, including customs duty, as shall assistance, donations, gifts and grants made to the Commission.

The Commission shall enjoy the same facilities as those prescribed for any public body.

Article 16:

The President of the Commission shall receive a monthly allowance equivalent to 50 per cent of the fixed monthly wage and the members of the board of directors shall receive a similar allowance at the rate of 30 per cent of the fixed monthly wage.

Article 17:

The Prime Minister shall issue such other instruments as are necessary for implementation of the provisions of this Act.

Article 18:

This Act shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall be deemed to take effect 60 days after its date of publication.

Damascus, 26 Shawwal A.H. 1424 (20 December A.D. 2003)

President of the RepublicBashar Al-Asad

Plan of the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs

Aim of the Commission	Tenth Five-Year Plan	Indicator	Completed
1.Legal framework identifying family components	1.Establish regulatory structures for State institutions and transform them into smart, efficient and practical organizations		Circulars and decisions of the Prime Minister(677/5080/4418/3942/3705)
2.Deal with all family components from every dimension	2.Establish legislative and legal policies and bodies, a decision-making mechanism and methods of implementation		Elaboration of separate action plans for each family component
Institutional development:
–Guarantee high-level expertise –Promote the system of combining specialist fields –Broaden partnerships and alliances –Continue to improve management –Improve decision-making through information access
Guarantee high-level expertise
Develop human resources	Develop human resources, capabilities and personal skills at all levels	1.Number of training courses 2.Number of trained staff of both sexes	1.Language and computer training 2.Specialist training for Commission staff and various governmental bodies
		–Building of a national system for the evaluation of project performance and follow-up of implementation –Policy assessment
Promote the system of combining specialist fields
The challenge:
1.To disseminate the system and preserve the specialized organizational structure (see annex)
2.To strengthen cooperative work relations and give them an official character
1.Strengthen capacities in order to prioritize, plan and carry out monitoring and assessment in the various specialist fields	Pursue modern administrative methodologies based on negotiation, coordination and follow-up within departments and establish the standards and indicators needed to measure productivity and performance		Elaboration of an integrated strategy for the Commission and an annual plan –Development of the organizational structure –Design of models for all of the Commission’s essential activities (training, travel, leave ...)
2.Strengthen effective mechanisms among directorates in order to facilitate cooperation and partnerships within and among directorates	Give detailed job descriptions, show the outputs of each job and the interrelationship among jobs, as well as identify ways of gauging their influence in developing the functional behaviour of each employee and his training and development needs
Elaborate strategies that combine the various specialist fields among the directorates of the Commission
Strengthen effective mechanisms among directorates
Broaden partnerships and alliances
1.Relating to other governmental bodies	Commitment to the participatory method		–Memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Higher Education –Memorandum of understanding with the State Planning Commission –Writing of the Beijing report –Memorandum of understanding with the General Women’s Federation –Child festivities in Latakia (Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ariba Communications, Jud Company) –Child festivities in Damascus (Ariba Communications, in association with UNICEF, UNIFEM, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Euro-Med Youth)
2.Relating to non‑governmental bodies/civil-society organizations	The social market economy demands numerous responsibilities to include the private sector, local administrations, non-governmental organizations and civil-society organizations
3.Relating to the private sector	Opening up to the world and building international cooperative relationships on a participatory basis that respects mutual interests and guarantees optimum benefit from the opportunities provided by such cooperation
4.Relating to regional and international organizations	Strengthening the roleof international cooperation in socio-economic development
Continue to improve management
Design all of the Commission’s programmes in accordance with specific objectives and a time frame	Use of future review as a frame of reference
Application of a more comprehensive assessment system, including self-assessment measures	Develop a fair and effective system for the assessment of staff performance in public bodies and include performance standards and criteria, in addition to elaborating appropriate incentives and deterrents, together with the powers to apply them in regulations and positive laws
Establish and implement automated support systems for accounting and financial management	Implement a new financial mechanism supported by a unified and interlinked financial system
Create a communications system and an electronic archive	Apply the latest information technology and communications
Improve decision-making through information access
Establish a research and study centre for the family and its components	Provide structuring, jobs, responsibilities and new institutional capacities for central, regional and local planning agencies
Establish a statistical unit for the Commission
Formulation of substrategies and follow-up of their implementation
1.The population as a core concern	Young people The aged
2.The family as a core concern	Women’s empowerment Children

Annex 3

Study on violence against women

With UNIFEM support, the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs, the General Women’s Federation and the Central Bureau of Statistics carried out a study on this phenomenon. Syria is among the first countries to have conducted a field study of all types of violence in order to shed light on the forms of violence practised against women and on the extent, causes and consequences of that violence. The study was also designed to provide a clear and methodological insight that will enable those in the institutions of the State and society who are concerned with women’s rights and human rights to work for a change in the equation currently governing the relationship between women and society; for a legal foundation that is fairer and more consistent with basic human rights principles and norms, as well as more in harmony with the Syrian Constitution in terms of the equal rights and obligations which it guarantees for all citizens; and for measures guaranteed to close the gap through the development and implementation of programmes for the protection and empowerment of women that restore their confidence in themselves as fully qualified citizens who fulfil their obligations and enjoy full and unrestricted rights.

Entitled “Violence against women in the Syrian Arab Republic”, the field study took a random sample of 1,891 urban and rural families in various governorates in the context of general data on family, housing and the individuals in question.

The findings of the study showed that 19.7 per cent of the individuals in the sample had already been subjected to some type of violence. This percentage was higher among rural women.

The study, which was completed in 2006, made the following recommendations:

–Intensify campaigns aimed at men and women to raise their awareness concerning the importance of respecting the dignity and status of women and ensuring they are well treated, as well as concerning the negative effects and unhealthy consequences that the abuse and ill-treatment of women bring not only for women themselves as persons and also for both family and society;

–Increase penalties as a deterrent to assailants who inflict harm on women;

–Include in the curricula for the different stages of education information and learning material conducive to strengthening the values of justice and sexual equality in different areas and promoting the importance of participation and cooperation between the sexes in the interest of the family and society, as well an adjustment in attitudes and behaviour concerning the conventional roles of men and women;

–Set up shelters for women subjected to violence who are under hard pressure and who have no safe refuge and no provider, ensure all aspects of their rehabilitation and deliver the services and help which they need by establishing a special fund for battered women damaged by cruel life circumstances;

–Continue undertaking field research and analytical studies designed to measure changes as far as the forms and manifestations of violence against women are concerned, diagnose the causes and determine the implications for women, the family and society;

–Pursue efforts in conjunction with all official, non-governmental and grass-roots bodies for removal of the reservations to various articles of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women;

–Endeavour to implement the national plan for the protection of women against violence, in conjunction with the Syrian Commission for Family Affairs and the concerned bodies;

–Establish specialist treatment centres equipped to deal with behavioural abnormalities and psychological crises and disturbances in women;

–Continue work in coordination with the bodies concerned in order to enhance the performance standard of policewomen especially and impart the skills which they need in addressing the particular circumstances of women;

–Pursue contact with women and young girls in prison and reform institutes in order to provide them with direction and guidance, as well as health and social care, and promote their social integration;

–Endeavour to work with the Ministry of Awqaf in order to highlight the status of women in Islam through an enlightened religious message;

–Focus on the information message in order to show the effect of violence against women and its negative impact on the family and society, in coordination and cooperation with the competent bodies.

Annex 4

Data on the number of women deported from the country

Moroccans		Iraqis		Foreigners		Lebanese		Jordanians
Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives
13	81		39	130		1	9		0	20		0	2

The data below shows the number of Arab and non-Arab women offenders in 2006 (at 22 November) who were deported from the country after being brought to justice.

Moroccans		Iraqis		Foreigners		Lebanese		Jordanians
Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives		Prostitution	Violation of administrative directives
8	89		13	116		2	1		0	13		1	1

Annex 5

Media coverage *

* Annex 5 will be made available to members of the Committee in the language(s) in which it was received.

Annex 6

Number of women in decision-making positions in the four universities in 2006

	Chancellor	Vice-Chancellor	Pro-Vice- Chancellor	Head of division
University of Damascus	0	2	2	13
University of Aleppo	0	0	5	9
University of Tishrin	0	2	2	16
Al-Ba ’ th University	0	0	3	5

Source: Ministry of Higher Education

Number and percentage of females and males at the Virtual University in 2006

Females	Males	Total
182	863	1 045
17.4 per cent	82.6 per cent	100 per cent

Source: Ministry of Higher Education

Number of female and male teaching staff in 2005

	Males		Females
Academic position	Number	Percentage		Number	Percentage
Professor	1 091	92.0		95	8.0
Assistant professor	1 315	90.5		139	9.5
Teacher	1 691	82.2		365	17.8
Teacher in higher education	63	67.7		30	32.3
Tutor	1 788	62.2		1 085	37.8

Source: Statistics of the Ministry of Higher Education for 2005, which is under publication by the Central Bureau of Statistics

Annex 7

Women’s employment

Article 39: The employment of women in the following productive jobs shall be regulated as follows:

(a)It shall be prohibited to employ women in the following industries and jobs:

1.Mining, quarrying and all activities involving the extraction of minerals and stone;

2.Metal and glass smelting;

3.Silvering of mirrors with mercury;

4.Manufacturing of explosives, fireworks and related activities;

5.Oxygen, acetylene and electric arc welding;

6.Battery manufacturing and repair;

7.Jobs involving contact with lead, lead components or lead mixtures and the cleaning of lead sites;

8.Manufacturing of asphalt;

9.Manufacturing of fertilizers from excrement, animal manure, bones or blood;

10.Carving, skinning and gutting of animals, sectioning of animal flesh and rendering of animal fat;

11.Jobs in abattoirs and tanneries.

(b)The provision of the preceding paragraph (a) shall exclude women engaged in administrative and clerical work.

Article 94: It shall be prohibited to employ pregnant and nursing women in jobs where they are liable to have contact with materials that affect the development and formation of foetuses and newborns, such as dangerous chemicals or radioactive materials, and in jobs which expose them to benzene (C6H6) or its by-products.

Article 95: It shall be prohibited during a woman’s term of pregnancy to expose her to contact with chemicals that induce abortion or to require her to carry any load weighing in excess of 20 kilograms.

Article 96: It shall be prohibited to employ women in carrying, pushing or pulling loads in excess of the following limits:

15 kg.(a)Carrying loads

50 kg.(b)Pushing or pulling loads in a wheelbarrow

120 kg.(c)Pushing or pulling loads in a two-wheeled cart

500 kg.(d)Pushing loads on rails

Article 97: It shall be prohibited to assign women to night-shift work or to work between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., with the exception of:

–Doctors, nurses, midwives and workers in hospitals, sanatoriums and clinics;

–Workers in postal, cable and telephone offices;

–Attendants and staff in airports and airline companies;

–Workers in the television, radio and press;

–Women engaged in work to prevent certain loss of highly perishable items;

–Restaurant and bar staff;

–Actresses on stage and in theatre troupes;

–Artists.

Article 98: Any public authority that employs women shall make available in the workplace a copy of the regulations on women’s employment.

Article 99: Public authorities must conduct a periodic medical examination of women workers, in particular pregnant and nursing women, and establish nurseries in accordance with the Decision of the Prime Minister No. 2277 of 1987.

Article 100: With the exception of the jobs set forth in the preceding articles and jobs in nurseries, all of the provisions and conditions that apply to men shall apply to women, without distinction.