CMNT_TITLE

The Committee notes the Government’s report.

Discrimination on grounds of sex. Further to its previous comments, the Committee regrets that once again the Government refers to a new preliminary draft text which is in the process of being revised and agreed to, but that there is as yet no concrete progress on the adoption of amendments to section 3 of the General Labour Act, under which the proportion of women staff may not exceed 45 per cent in enterprises and establishments which, by their nature, do not require the use of a larger proportion of women workers. The Committee has pointed out on many occasions to the Government that this section is prejudicial to equality of opportunity and treatment on grounds of sex. The Committee reminds the Government once again that, in accordance with Article 3(c) of the Convention, each Member for which it is in force undertakes to repeal any statutory provisions which are inconsistent with the policy of equality of opportunity and treatment set out in Article 2. The Committee once again urges the Government to take the necessary measures to bring section 3 of the General Labour Act into conformity with the Convention. The above amendment to the labour law should also take into account paragraph 5 of the ILO resolution on equal opportunities and equal treatment for men and women in employment, adopted in 1985, and should provide an opportunity to re-examine, in the light of up-to-date scientific knowledge and technical changes, all protective legislation applying solely to women with a view to revising and repealing it, as appropriate, in consultation with the social partners and women workers, taking into account the measures aimed at promoting equality for men and women in employment.

The Committee is addressing a request directly to the Government on other points.