Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1991, published 78th ILC session (1991)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Malawi (Ratification: 1965)

Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report and, concerning in particular, clause 3(b) of the 1985 Agreed Practices on Wages and Terms and Conditions of Employment of the Agricultural Employers' Association (Tobacco and Tea Members) which stipulates that an adult female who is employed to complete a task which is less than that given to an adult male shall be paid in proportion.

While appreciating the Government's statement that the provisions reflect the custom of assigning fewer tasks to women (and young persons and children) than to men, but that male workers as well as females are required in practice to show proof of output to determine whether payment should be made in full or in proportion, the Committee is concerned that the implied assumption that a woman's output will always be less than that of a man when she is assigned the same work would lead to practices contrary to the Convention. The Committee therefore urges that consideration be given to removing at the earliest opportunity the reference to female workers from the provisions of the Wages (General) Order on which the Agreed Practices are based and that the Agreed Practices will also be modified accordingly when they are next revised.

The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information concerning the measures being taken to implement the provisions of the Convention and, in particular, to furnish details of salary scales for particular industries which have been determined on the basis of an objective appraisal of jobs. Referring to its previous comments, the Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on any reports made to the Ministry of Labour which relate directly or indirectly to the application of the principle of equal remuneration. In this respect, the Committee requests the Government to provide information on any activities undertaken by the National Committee on Women's Employment which may be pertinent to the application of the Convention.