Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Benin (Ratification: 1968)

The Committee notes the Government’s reports and asks the Government to provide information on the following points.

1. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that training of the officials of the labour statistics unit is ongoing with the assistance of the ILO Office. It also notes that once the unit is operational, the Government will take into consideration the Committee’s request for statistical information to be compiled on the participation of men and women in the grades and posts of the different wage scales appended to the collective agreements previously supplied by the Government. The Committee hopes that the Government will soon be in a position to provide the information requested.

2. The Committee notes that workers receiving the minimum wage work in the construction and public works sector. Noting the Government’s statement that it is not in a position to provide information on the proportion of men and women amongst these workers, the Committee encourages the Government to include the gathering of such data in the abovementioned initiatives to compile disaggregated labour statistics. The Government is also requested to indicate whether it has any intention of including other sectors of employment and categories of workers within the minimum wage legislation.

3. With regard to the application of the principle of equal remuneration in the public sector, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that recruitment in the public sector takes place without discrimination. Referring to the previous statistics provided by the Government, which revealed the low representation of women in public service, especially in the higher categories A and B, the Committee draws once again the attention of the Government to the fact that the situation of women in the labour market is one of the origins of inequalities in remuneration levels between men and women. It therefore reiterates its request to provide information on any measures taken or contemplated to increase the participation of women in the public service, especially in the higher level categories in which they are under-represented.

4. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on measures taken: to improve women’s employment in the private sector, such as including a statement in certain job announcements that preference will be given to female candidates; to create a legal framework in favour of self-employed women and women entrepreneurs; and to assist women in the informal economy. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the specific measures taken or envisaged to promote access of women to a wide range of activities in the private sector, and to indicate how these measures have affected the levels of women’s income and whether they have helped to reduce wage disparities between men and women in the private sector.