Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1989, published 76th ILC session (1989)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Denmark (Ratification: 1960)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the period ending 30 June 1988. It notes in particular (1) that an exemption from the Equal Treatment Act has been granted so that special consideration may be paid to sex in connection with filling posts when candidates have the same professional and personal qualifications, and that permission has been given to allow advertisement of executive posts to state that women are encouraged to apply; (2) that in order to promote genuine equality the Government published on 4 December 1986 a National Action Plan for equality between men and women which envisages improvements in women's educational training and employment opportunities and sees unemployment as the most important equality problem; and (3) that an equality consultant has been attached to each regional public employment service in Denmark. The Committee also notes with interest that the Danish Parliament has adopted Act No. 238 of 20 April 1988 on equality between men and women.

The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of Law No. 238 of 20 April 1988 on equality between men and women, and details on its application in practice. It also requests the Government to provide more detailed information on the practical application of the National Action Plan published on 4 December 1986, and to include with a future report the Prime Minister's forthcoming report to the Danish Parliament on work to implement the National Action Plan.

The Committee also asks that the Government provide statistical data indicating the numbers of racial minority group members in the active population as well as their characteristics in regard to such criteria as average wage levels, types of jobs held, etc., particularly in relationship to similar statistics for non-minority racial groups. The Committee asks the Government to indicate what recourse a worker in the private sector may have if he or she believes he or she is, in his or her field of employment or occupation, discriminated against on the basis of race. In this regard, the Committee asks what substantive legal provision such a worker might rely upon in seeking a remedy to such discrimination and what procedural avenues may be available to him or her. The Committee asks the Government to provide full information on measures taken or contemplated to promote a policy of eliminating any discrimination on the basis of race, national extraction, political opinion or social origin in private sector employment and occupation.

Lastly, the Government is asked to provide statistical information on trends in the levels of remuneration received by women as compared to that received by men throughout the public and private sectors over the past 10 years. If trends suggest a growing gap between the remuneration of men and women, the Committee asks the Government to indicate what measures have been taken to promote and, where applicable, ensure equal opportunity in employment and occupation with respect to remuneration.