CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the information provided by the Government and the attached documentation and statistics. It notes with interest Decree No. 254/98 of 9 March 1998, approving the plan for equality of opportunities between men and women in the world of work (hereinafter referred to as "the plan"), which gives the public administration a clear mandate to take action to give effect to the principle set out in the Convention.

1. The Committee notes the information concerning the difference in the gender composition of the labour force which, according to the attached documentation, reaches 72 per cent of the Duncan index. Taking into account the fact that this situation does not appear to have its origins in the educational levels of the employed population, since in metropolitan Buenos Aires some 31.3 per cent of employed women have completed higher education, compared with 21.3 per cent for males, the Committee would be grateful to be provided with information on the measures adopted by the Government to promote the equal representation of women in employment programmes, including those covering non-traditional activities and the most dynamic sectors of the economy.

2. The Committee notes that, according to the documentation attached to the Government's report, the gender wage gap has narrowed in recent years. The Government also indicates that there are no current statistics on wage levels disaggregated by sex. In this respect, the Committee wishes to draw the Government's attention to its general observation of 1998 on the Convention, in which it requested governments, in order to assist in evaluating the application of the principle set out in the Convention, to provide the fullest possible statistical information disaggregated by sex with regard to points (i) and (ii) of the above general observation. Taking into account paragraphs 1.7.1 and 1.7.2 of the plan, the Committee hopes that progress will be achieved in this respect and requests the Government to keep it informed of the action taken to compile national data on the labour market which are fully disaggregated by sex.

3. The Committee would be grateful to be provided with full information on the manner in which the application of the principle set out in the Convention is promoted and, in particular, on the activities of the National Council for Women, as well as the measures adopted by centralized and decentralized bodies of the National Public Administration with a view to giving effect to the objectives set out in the plan. In this respect, the Committee would be grateful to be provided with information on the activities of the Advisory Commission, established by section 130 of the General Collective Agreement for the National Public Administration, approved by Decree No. 66/99.

4. The Committee notes that during the period under consideration no important judicial rulings were issued or violations reported in matters relating to the Convention. The Committee would be grateful to be provided with information on the functions discharged by labour inspectors in the effective application of provisions respecting equal remuneration.

5. Article 4. The Committee notes with interest that paragraph 1.4.2 of the plan includes among the measures to be taken "coordination with trade union and employers' organizations for the determination of strategies to promote the application of the right to equal remuneration for work of equal value", and recalls the important role which can be played by organizations of employers and workers in applying the principles of the Convention. It therefore requests the Government to indicate in its next report the methods of cooperation and the activities undertaken with the organizations of employers and workers in the country.