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The Committee notes the information provided in the Government’s report on this Convention as well as the information provided on Convention No. 111 relevant to the application of Convention No. 100.

1. Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Practical application in the public service. Concerning the promotion of women’s access to a wider range of occupations and higher-level posts in the public sector with a view to reducing wage inequalities between men and women, the Committee notes the measures taken by the Government in 1992 and 1998 to nominate a number of women in ministerial cabinets and regional councils. It also notes that the number of women graduating from vocational training with a view to entering the public service is slowly increasing (33 per cent in 2001 and 35 per cent in 2003), but that the large majority of female graduates are still concentrated in areas such as public health (70 per cent) and education (35 per cent). The Committee welcomes the Government’s efforts to improve women’s access into higher-level posts, but would like to receive information on more recent measures taken in this regard as well as their impact on reducing wage inequalities between men and women.

2. Practical application in private sector and statistics. The Committee welcomes the various measures taken by the Government, including the progress made, to improve access of women to vocational training, education and employment in the private sector. In its previous request the Committee had pointed to the need for more up-to-date statistics on the distribution of men and women in the various economic activities and occupations and their corresponding wage levels in both the rural and urban areas. The Committee notes that the Government has omitted this information in its report. With a view to evaluating the progress achieved with regard to the impact of the abovementioned measures on the wage gap between men and women, the Committee asks the Government to provide such information in its next report in accordance with its 1998 general observation. Please also continue to provide information on any measures taken to reduce wage inequalities between men and women in the private sector.

3. Promotion of the principle of the Convention. The Committee reiterates its request to provide information on any activities taken by the National Council of Women and Family to promote the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value in both the private and public sectors.

4. Articles 2 and 3. Wage determination and job evaluation in the private sector. With reference to its previous request on the application of Decree No. 2003-1692 of 18 August 2003 setting minimum wages for the agricultural sector, the Committee notes that the Government does not reply to its previous request for information on the distribution of men and women amongst the ordinary, specialized and qualified workers in the agricultural sector. The Government is asked to provide this information in its next report. Please also provide the requested information on the criteria used in the private sector for the classifications of posts and determination of wages, and on measures taken to ensure that jobs are objectively appraised on the basis of the work performed.

5. Part III of the report form. Enforcement. With reference to its previous comments on the activities by the labour inspectorate in agricultural enterprises, the Committee notes that the inspection services have detected seven cases of wage discrimination between men and women in 2002 and the same number in 2003. Of those, a few have been transmitted to the competent courts. It asks the Government to continue to provide information on any violations of the Convention detected by the labour inspectorate, including the remedies applied, and to indicate the measures taken or envisaged to reduce wage inequalities between men and women in the agricultural sector. Please also supply information on any complaints filed with judicial bodies concerning unequal pay between men and women.