Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

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

The Committee notes the observations of the Confederation of Workers’ Unions of Mali (CSTM), received on 22 November 2013, which underlines the consequences of the fall in the school attendance rate of girls and in the representation of women in decision-making bodies on women’s employment and wages. The Committee appreciates in particular the fact that the Government has collected, compiled and communicated recent statistics disaggregated by sex on school attendance rates, the number of graduates, the staff of the public service, jobs created in the private sector, staffing levels in the judiciary, the police and civil protection, and the distribution of employed persons by monthly remuneration and “institutional sector”, or socio-occupational category for 2010.

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Remuneration gaps between men and women. According to the statistics provided, taking all socio-occupational categories together, 37 per cent of women who work receive monthly remuneration that is below the minimum guaranteed inter-occupational wage (SMIG) (compared with 21 per cent of men), and only 6 per cent of women (compared with 16 per cent of men) have a monthly income higher than CFA francs 75,000. In almost all of the socio-occupational categories mentioned (such as “employee”, “manual worker”, “family assistant”, “own account worker”), many more women than men receive remuneration lower than the SMIG. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures taken to promote equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, including any measures intended to address the underlying causes of remuneration gaps, such as vertical occupational segregation (positions of responsibility) and horizontal segregation (by sector or socio-occupational category) and gender stereotypes. The Government is also requested to provide information on the measures intended to raise the awareness of workers, employers and their organizations concerning the issue of remuneration gaps.

Article 2. Equal remuneration for work of equal value. Legislation. The Committee recalls that current section L.95 of the Labour Code does not reflect the principle of the Convention. However, the Government indicates that section L.95 (new) of the Bill to amend the Labour Code adopted by the Council of Ministers provides that “every employer shall be required to ensure, for the same work or work of equal value, equal remuneration for employees, irrespective of origin, sex, age, status or disability”, and contains a definition of the term “remuneration” which corresponds to that of the Convention. The Committee trusts that the Government will soon be in a position to report the adoption of these provisions incorporating the principle of the Convention and requests it to provide information on the progress achieved in this respect. The Government is also requested to indicate whether collective agreements or workplace agreements between employers and workers referring to the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value or containing provisions respecting wage fixing have been concluded and, if so, to provide copies of the relevant provisions.

Labour inspection. Noting the information provided by the Government, the Committee refers to its direct request under the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111).