Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2009, published 99th ILC session (2010)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) (Ratification: 1973)

Wage gap. The Government indicates that according to data from 2005 from the National Institute of Statistics, the average wage received by men was 1,099.99 bolivianos (BOB), while that of women was BOB595.30, thus 54 per cent less. In 2007, the average monthly wage for the main occupational categories was 48.23 per cent less for women than for men. The Government indicates that pay discrimination stems from the establishment of occupational categories, the specialization or configuration of groups within each category and the establishment of wage supplements. The Government further notes that the way in which women are paid less is based on increasingly subtle criteria and that there are significant differences with regard to the participation by men and women in each branch of activity. It also indicates that legislative progress does not necessarily translate into the exercise of rights. Faced with that situation, the Vice‑Ministry of Women drew up the Five-Year Plan for Women for 2008–12, which was being finalized when the report was prepared. The Government refers to measures noted by the Committee in its observation on the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111). The Government maintains that these measures will contribute in practice to reducing the wage gap. Furthermore, the new Constitution promulgated on 7 February 2009 establishes the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value and includes other provisions in favour of women. The Committee encourages the Government to continue its efforts and asks it to continue providing information on new measures taken, including any measures adopted by the Ministry of Justice in accordance with Supreme Decree No. 29894 of 7 February 2009, and on the impact of the Five-Year Plan for Women on the wage gap.

Distribution of men and women in the public sector. The Committee notes that in the executive authority only 10.17 per cent of posts are held by women, in the legislative authority the figure is 14.65 per cent and in the judicial authority it is 25 per cent. In the Presidential Cabinet, where posts are appointed directly, 25 per cent of posts are held by women. With regard to the promotion of women in the public sector, the Government indicates that it does not yet have this information, although the National Institute of Statistics of Bolivia is considering the possibility of generating information with gender indicators. The Committee asks the Government to continue providing information on the percentages of men and women in the public sector, including the health and education sectors, broken down according to occupational category and remuneration, including wage supplements. Furthermore, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any steps to promote the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the public sector, including information on the steps taken to identify and eliminate the subtle criteria referred to by the Government and noted by the Committee in the first paragraph of this direct request.

Private sector. Cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any initiatives taken with the cooperation of organizations of employers and workers to reduce the wage gap in the private sector.