Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2002, published 91st ILC session (2003)

The Committee notes the Government’s brief report.

1. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is set forth in the Labour Code, in collective agreements, enterprise agreements between employers and workers, and in decrees determining wages in certain branches of activity. It asks the Government to provide copies of these collective agreements, enterprise agreements and decrees, as well as information on the measures taken to ensure the guarantee of equal remuneration for work of equal value, as set out in the Convention.

2. It also notes that the application of the principle of equal remuneration is ensured by the central and regional labour inspection services, the courts and organizations of employers and workers through inspections of workplaces, regular supervision of employment contracts, the examination of registers of workers and remuneration records and questions asked to workers. The Committee asks the Government to provide information with its next report on these measures and on their effectiveness in ensuring the application of the principle set out in the Convention.

3. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that "in Mali, there is no gap between male wage rates and the wage rates of women" since these "rates depend on the jobs held and the determination of such jobs is not based on the criterion of "gender". In this respect, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to the fact that a study carried out by the ILO in 2001 (Dominique Meurs, Egalité de rémunération entre les hommes at les femmes dans le secteur moderne au Mali, Project RAF/00/M02/FRA, 10 April 2001) concludes that there is an important gap in the average wage to the prejudice of women employees of around 15 per cent in the modern private sector and 30 per cent in the public service. It adds that the most notable characteristic is the low rate of participation of women in salaried employment in the modern private sector, in contrast with their high rate of participation in the informal sector and in agriculture, and their concentration in middle-level jobs. Moreover, there are few women in decision-making positions (10 per cent in the public sector), which is partly attributable to a lower level of school education and the resistance encountered in internal promotions.

4. The Committee notes that the study suggests some lines of action to resolve the situation, including: (1) the establishment of a classification of jobs and their characteristics in order to provide a common terminology for the labour market, which would incorporate the concerns of non-discrimination against women; (2) in enterprises of a certain size and in ministries in the public service, the preparation of an annual document on the personnel, remuneration, the training provided, promotions, staff movements (recruitment, departures), with the inclusion of the gender dimension in the indicators; (3) raising the awareness of the social partners with regard to the issue of women’s employment; and (4) giving priority to the issue of the education of girls, particularly at the basic and secondary levels. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the measures that it intends to take to apply in law and practice the principle of equal remuneration as set out in the Convention.

5. The Committee notes that the Government has not replied to certain points raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

1. The Committee notes the attached report of the National Meeting on Equal Remuneration for Men and Women, held in April 2001 in conjunction with the International Labour Office. The Meeting adopted an action plan to promote equal remuneration in two phases: the short-term action plan is to be implemented in 2001-02 and the long-term action plan in 2003-05. The Committee notes that the short-term action plan includes the following action: a committee is to be established to follow up national action; seminars are to be organized to change women’s professional attitudes; and girls are to be encouraged to participate in education. The Committee notes that the long-term action plan includes the following action: analysis of equal remuneration in the informal and agricultural sectors; the development of vocational training for women; the review of collective agreements; the revision of the general status of public service workers; and the revision of the Labour Code. The Committee welcomes this initiative and asks the Government to provide full information on the promotional measures taken to implement these action plans.

2. With respect to the National Directorate for the Promotion of Women (established by Ordinance No. 99-009/P-RM of 1 April 1999) and the Inter-Ministerial Committee for the Promotion of Women (established by Decree No. 99-156/PM-RM of 16 June 1999), the Committee once again asks the Government to provide information on these bodies and copies of any studies or reports arising from their activities on measures taken to promote the principle of equal pay for men and women workers for work of equal value, and in particular on promotional measures taken to promote the access of girls to all levels of education. The Committee recalls that the above action is crucial to increasing the participation of women in the employment market, including at decision-making levels.

3. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that at present it is unable to carry out any objective job evaluations and that it requests the technical assistance of the ILO in this respect. The Committee hopes it will be possible to provide such assistance in the near future. In the meantime, it asks the Government to refer to paragraphs 19-23 and 52-70 of its 1986 General Survey on equal remuneration, which provides clarifications regarding certain evaluation methods. It would also be grateful if the Government would keep it informed of all future developments in this respect.