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The Committee notes the annexes to the Government’s report, which were only received by the Office on 1 December 2005, including information on the employment of women and the functions of the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women. Because of the late arrival of these materials, the Committee will examine them together with the Government’s replies to the Committee’s present comments.

1. Wage gap between men and women. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that there has been no significant change in the wage gap between male and female workers. It notes from the Government’s report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW/C/ISR/4, 2 June 2005) that the difference in hourly wages between men and women in a variety of occupations ranges from 18 per cent (associate professionals and technicians) to 46 per cent (skilled workers) and that in 2002 the average income per hour was 36.7 NIS for women compared to 45.3 NIS for men (a difference of 23 per cent). The Committee notes the Government’s indication that it has taken some steps to address this situation including the promotion of female entrepreneurship and the appointment of 200 municipal employees to act as counsellors on the advancement of women, as well as 25 counsellors to respond to the special needs of women in Arab municipalities. Noting the Government’s statement that information is forthcoming with respect to other activities undertaken by the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women, the Committee asks the Government to provide specific details on the role of the abovementioned programmes towards ensuring equal remuneration between men and women workers for work of equal value, and to indicate the progress and impact of its ongoing promotional measures aimed at reducing the wage gap.

2. Remuneration in the public service. The Committee notes that according to the Government’s report, the wage scales used in the civil service are divided by grades according to profession, academic education and other relevant criteria but that they are identical for all government ministries. Noting from the Government’s report that wage scales affecting the majority of civil service employees are being prepared, the Committee asks the Government to provide copies of these scales in its next report along with updated statistics disaggregated by sex detailing the occupation and grade of civil service employees.

3. Positive measures for women in the public service. The Committee notes that a copy in Hebrew of the annual report submitted to the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women has been enclosed with the Government’s last report. It also notes the Government’s indication that the translated English version will be included in the Government’s next report. Recalling its previous comments concerning promotional measures in the public service and any educational activities undertaken by the Civil Service Commission, the Committee notes the information from the Government’s report that the special Ministerial Committee to promote the status of women has not yet dealt with the affirmative action proposal to establish percentage targets for the representation of women in specified ranks and positions of the civil service. The Committee asks the Government to keep it informed of any developments in this regard. Please also provide information on the impact of the affirmative action amendments to the Women’s Equal Rights Act and the Civil Service Act (Appointments), as well as the educational activities carried out by the Civil Service Commission on the application of the Convention.

4. Job evaluation. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that, in the past, job evaluation projects were mainly initiated by the Israel Institute of Productivity, which has since been dissolved. It notes that, at present, section 5 of the Male and Female Workers Equal Pay Act (5576-1996) provides for the appointment of a job evaluation expert by the Labour Court in an appropriate case but that, to date, litigants have not made use of this legal provision. Given that this method for initiating a job evaluation depends upon an underlying litigious claim, the Committee asks what measures outside of the adversarial process the Government is planning to promote objective job appraisals in both the public and private sectors.

5. Part IV of the report form. Judicial decisions. The Committee notes from the Government’s report to the UN Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW/C/ISR/4, 2 June 2005) a recent equal remuneration case in which the Labour Court decided in favour of a female plaintiff who had been earning a lower salary than her male counterparts in violation of the Equal Employment Opportunities Law (L.A. 300880/98 Orit Goren v. Home Centers Int.). The Committee encourages the Government to provide information in subsequent reports on court decisions involving questions of principle relating to the application of the Convention.