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The Committee notes the Government’s report and the communication from the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) dated 30 September 2008 containing observations made by the General Confederation of Workers of Mauritania (CGTM) concerning the application of the Convention. In its observations, the CGTM emphasizes the marginalization still suffered by women in Mauritania. In particular, the CGTM observes that the overall activity rate for women has not changed significantly for around 20 years (27.7 per cent in 2000, compared with 25.3 per cent in 1988), and that they are still broadly concentrated in certain types of jobs, namely agriculture (48.6 per cent), general administration (14 per cent), commerce (13 per cent) and health and education (10 per cent). The CGTM adds that women’s wages are on average 60 per cent lower than those of men. The Committee notes that no comment by the Government has been received in reply to these observations. The Committee also notes that in its concluding comments, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) observed that, while the legislation guarantees gender equality, there is in practice considerable discrimination against women in the labour market (see CEDAW/C/MRT/CO/1, 11 June 2007, paragraph 37). The Committee asks the Government to provide detailed information on the conditions of women in the labour market in Mauritania, including statistical data on the wage levels of women and men, disaggregated by economic sector, occupation and job. The Committee also asks the Government to indicate the measures adopted or envisaged to reduce the existing gap between the remuneration of men and women, including information on any relevant measures that have been taken in this respect in the context of the National Strategy for the Promotion of Women (2005–08) and their impact.

Article 1(b) of the Convention. Equal remuneration for work of equal value. In its previous comments, the Committee emphasized that an examination of the provisions of the Labour Code, and particularly section 191, and Act No. 93-09 on the public service, did not clearly establish whether the principle set out in the Convention was fully reproduced in the national legislation, which could give rise to misinterpretations in practice. In this respect, the Committee notes that the Government would like to receive the Office’s technical assistance in the form of specific training on the concept of “work of equal value” and on how to apply it correctly in practice. Referring the Government to its 2006 general observation on the Convention, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to the importance of amending the national legislation so that it gives full expression to the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. This is all the more important because the labour market in Mauritania is characterized by significant gender segregation and a very considerable gap between the remuneration of women and men. The Committee urges the Government to amend the national legislation so as to give full expression to the principle of the Convention, in both the private and public sectors. The Committee also encourages the Government to take the necessary measures to obtain technical assistance from the Office.

The Committee is raising other points in a request addressed directly to the Government.