E/C.12/DJI/CO/1-2 The Committee encourages the State party to diversify and develop its vocational training programmes accordingly. The Committee refers the State party to its general comment No. 18 (2005) on the right to work. 16. The Committee notes with concern the inadequate enforcement of the regulations governing workers’ rights and occupational health and safety in the State party, in part because it does not have a labour inspectorate with inspectors (art. 7). The Committee encourages the State party immediately to grant the labour inspectorate legal status and the powers required to perform its duties and the human and budgetary resources required to fulfil its oversight function and uphold the right to just and favourable conditions of work. The Committee also encourages the State party to develop specific occupational health and safety regulations for its various industries and to train inspectors to enforce them. 17. The Committee notes with concern that the State party has halted efforts to establish a minimum wage, thus depriving workers of the protection of their right to remuneration which provides a decent living for themselves and their families, in accordance with the provisions of the Covenant (art. 7). The Committee recommends that the State party reintroduce a minimum wage and ensure that workers in both the public and private sectors receive wages that are above subsistence level. 18. The Committee is concerned that the Labour Code and trade union rights are not effectively enforced in the companies operating in the free trade zone (art. 7). The Committee recommends that the State party ensure that the Labour Code and trade union rights are enforced in the companies operating in the free trade zone. 19. The Committee regrets that the State party has not taken any steps to uphold the economic and social rights of workers in the informal economy or their families (art. 7). The Committee recommends that the State party adopt a long-term strategy that involves the systematic and sustained implementation of measures to protect the economic and social rights of workers in the informal economy and their families, in accordance with the provisions of the Covenant, by: (a) Expanding the scope of the Labour Code and social protection provisions to the informal economy; (b) Tackling the regulatory obstacles that are hampering the creation of companies and jobs in the formal economy; and (c) economy. Subsequently facilitating the regularization of workers in the informal 20. The Committee is concerned about the information provided by the State party regarding politicization of trade union activities and the decreasing number of union members. The Committee is also concerned about the allegations of repression of trade union members and striking workers by the State party’s authorities (art. 8). The Committee encourages the State party to guarantee workers the free exercise of their right to form and join independent unions. The Committee also encourages the State party to refrain from any act that infringes on union rights or the right to strike. 21. The Committee notes with concern that a large portion of the population in the State party is not covered by social security, including social insurance schemes. The Committee also notes with concern reports that some independent bodies have fallen behind in the payment of their contributions to the National Social Security Fund (art. 9). GE.13-49993 5