CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It must therefore repeat its previous observation, which read as follows:

The Committee notes with interest the adoption on 30 May 2000 of an Act on Equality between Women and Men (Act No. 388) aimed at mainstreaming the principle of equality into statutory form as a basic element in the promotion of equality. It notes from the Government’s report that the new Act replaces the Equal Status Council with a three-tiered structure comprising of the Minister of Equality, a research and documentation centre on equality (the Knowledge Centre) and an independent body known as the Equal Status Board. In this respect, the Committee notes that the Minister is responsible for mainstreaming gender issues and for devising and implementing action plans to promote equality generally, as well as for coordinating the work of other ministries in this area. The Equal Status Board is responsible for the handling of all gender discrimination complaints with the exception of those cases which fall under the industrial system. Thus, the Board only deals with complaints from organized employees if the employee can prove that his or her union will not take up the complaint and in this way acts as a safety net. It notes also that the Board can monitor the application of the new Equality Act, the Equal Treatment Act and the Equal Remuneration Act and can award compensation for violations. The Committee asks the Government to provide information in its next report on the implementation of Act No. 388, including the work of the Minister for Equality, the Knowledge Centre and the Equal Status Board, relevant to the promotion of equal pay for work of equal value.

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