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The Committee notes that the Government's report has not been received. With respect to the Committee's request for statistical data in its previous comments, the Committee draws the Government's attention to its 1998 general observation. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its earlier direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee notes the information supplied by the Government in its report.

1. The Committee notes the information to the effect that its previous comments on the formulation of section 104 of the Labour Code (which stipulates that where there are equal working conditions, professional qualifications and output, the salary shall be equal for all workers no matter what their origin, sex, age or status under the conditions laid down in this part of the Code) have been taken into account in the process of revising the Labour Code which is currently under way. It therefore awaits with interest the copy of the final text which the Government has undertaken to supply in due course.

2. The Committee notes that the establishment of a national job classification system, announced in 1994, will finally being in 1997 and that the Government confirms its wish to request ILO technical assistance. In this regard, the Committee wishes to emphasize that, according to Article 3 of the Convention, some form of objective job evaluation is the only means of establishing differential rates and that it is therefore important for a State which has ratified the Convention to adopt a technique for measuring and comparing objectively whether jobs involving different work have, nevertheless the same value for the purposes of remuneration. For further details, please refer to paragraphs 138 to 152 of the Committee's 1986 General Survey on equal remuneration.

3. The Committee notes the Government's affirmation that application of the provisions of the Convention is satisfactory in general terms. It notes, however, that the report does not contain any statistical data on actual average earnings of men and women as they are not available and that research in this field does not allow a true assessment of the extent, scope and nature of possible inequalities. It notes the Government's undertaking to communicate information on the activities of the labour inspectorate which could demonstrate the application of the principle of the Convention. Observing that the nature and evolving character of the principle of equal remuneration will necessarily lead to difficulties in application, the Committee can only reiterate the wish that the Government -- as well as employers' and workers' organizations -- will endeavour to collect the information requested in order to be aware precisely of the nature and extend of any inequalities in remuneration and to prepare measures to eradicate them, if necessary.