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The Committee notes the Government's report and the information which it contains in reply to its comments.

1. With regard to the application of section 7(XX) of the Constitution of 1988, under which women workers are protected by specific incentives, the Committee notes that draft regulations (some of which deal with remuneration) have been formulated and subsequently modified following various consultations and that they are now under discussion. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would supply copies of these texts once they are adopted, and in particular those governing remuneration. It also requests it to supply information on the effect given in practice to these provisions.

2. Further to its previous comments concerning the labour inspection services, the Committee notes that the Government recognizes the weaknesses of the labour inspection services and that it emphasizes the importance of the attitude of women workers in relation to their situation on the labour market and the types of discrimination to which they are sometimes subjected. The Government also states that trade unions have not given these matters sufficient priority and should endeavour to raise the awareness of women as to the need to promote their interests. The Committee notes that the State Council of Sao Paulo on the Situation of Women claims that the difference between the wages of men and women workers can be as much as 50 per cent, depending on the sector, and that, according to a recent survey, at the national level fewer than one-half of women workers receive wages which are in excess of twice the minimum wage, whereas the wages of 62.8 per cent of men exceed this level. The Committee notes that this Council intends to take action to increase the awareness of women workers of their rights by launching information campaigns.

The Committee notes that the Government deplores the decrease in the number of labour inspectors and therefore of inspection activities, which it is endeavouring to remedy in various ways (for example, by opening up public competitions for the appointment of labour inspectors). It also notes that measures are envisaged to improve the situation of women in employment, in particular as regards inequalities in remuneration. The Committee considers that, in order to determine the appropriate measures and implement them, the Government could usefully refer to Recommendation No. 90, which complements the Convention, and particularly Paragraphs 6 and 7, as well as to its 1986 General Survey on Equal Remuneration, particularly paragraphs 24 to 30, 180 to 198 and 250 to 262. The Committee requests the Government to keep it informed of developments in the situation in respect of the points raised above.