Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2000, published 89th ILC session (2001)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Israel (Ratification: 1959)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government’s report, including the supplementary documentation provided.

1.  The Committee notes from the publication "Women and Men in Israel", by Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics and the Prime Minister’s Office that, while the level of female participation in the Israeli labour market was 47 per cent in 1999, horizontal occupational segregation persists. The publication indicates that the education (75 per cent), health, welfare and social services (75 per cent), domestic personnel (93 per cent) and banking, insurance and finance (56 per cent) branches are predominantly female. Vertical occupational segregation is also significant. Women constitute 73 per cent of all clerical workers, associate professionals and technicians (59 per cent) and sales and service workers (54 per cent). Women occupy 22 per cent of all managerial positions. The Committee further notes that women’s monthly income (from wage and salary) in 1998 was 61 per cent of men’s monthly income. It also notes that part-time labour is more than twice as prevalent among women (36 per cent of the labour force) than among men (16 per cent). The Government indicates that two groups - ultra-orthodox Jewish women and Arab women - have been identified as targets for special programmes and measures to promote their access to employment due to cultural factors affecting their integration into the labour market. The Committee would appreciate receiving information on the special measures taken to assist these two groups. It also requests that the Government provide information on all measures taken or contemplated to address the issues concerning women’s employment so as to promote their equal status and enhance the quality of their participation in the workforce.

2.  With regard to training, the Committee notes that the Unit for the Advancement of Women and Girls, established within the Division for Training and Development of the Ministry of Labour and Welfare, is to increase women’s employability and economic independence. The report indicates that the Unit has conducted workshops for women, including new immigrants, non-Jewish and ultra-orthodox Jewish women, in the areas of self-empowerment, work skills, orientation in employability, courses in entrepreneurship and small business and counselling and workshops for professionals working with women within the community. The Committee notes that the Unit intends to enlarge the scope of its activities to encompass additional groups, including persons with disabilities and unemployed single parents. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to provide information regarding the activities of the Unit for the Advancement of Women and Girls, including information on the impact of their activities in assisting women to enter and remain in the labour market, including in occupations traditionally reserved for men. With reference to its previous comments, the Committee notes the information provided regarding workshops offered by the Unit for the Advancement of Women and Girls for Bedouin, Arab and immigrant women. The Committee particularly notes the entrepreneurial courses offered for Bedouin, Arab and Druze women, as well as the project on reduction of women’s poverty through employment, a project to be implemented in various areas, including seven Arab townships. The Committee asks the Government to supply additional information on the nature of the workshops and courses offered and any follow-up provided to the entrepreneurial courses mentioned.

3.  The Committee notes from the report that, in March 1998, the Knesset approved the Act establishing the Authority for the Advancement of the Status of Women. The Government indicates that the Act vests the Authority with the responsibility for formulating and suggesting policies to the Government relevant to gender equality and to encourage, coordinate, promote, advise and conduct follow-up and supervision on the activities of government offices, local authorities and bodies controlled by the State Comptroller. The Committee notes that the Authority was established and came into operation in July 1998. The Government is requested to forward a copy of the Act, and to keep the Committee informed with regard to the Authority’s activities relevant to application of the principles of the Convention.

4.  The Committee notes with interest the adoption of the Act on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment. The Committee notes that the Act came into force in September 1998 in conjunction with an ordinance which includes a standard code on prevention of sexual harassment, to be adopted by all employers with 25 or more employees. The Committee notes the Government’s efforts to disseminate information regarding the Act, including workshops conducted in government offices, security forces and local administrations. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would keep it informed with regard to the impact of this new legislation, including supplying information on the number of sexual harassment complaints filed and any administrative or judicial decisions handed down interpreting the provisions of the Act.

5.  The Committee had previously noted measures taken by the Government to promote access to employment and education for certain groups, particularly Ethiopian Jews and Israeli workers of Arab origin. The Committee notes the vocational training programmes designed to promote the employment of ultra-orthodox Jews, as well as the programmes for Ethiopian immigrants. It also notes the Mifneh project implemented in 17 towns which were considered to be areas of high unemployment. The Committee would appreciate receiving information on the results achieved by the vocational training programmes described in the report, including the number of non-orthodox Jews, Ethiopian immigrants, and non-Jews successfully placed after completing such programmes. The Committee also repeats its request for information on the measures implemented to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for Israeli Arabs, Bedouin and other minorities in access to training and employment and to particular occupations, and the results obtained. Noting the Government’s indication that it is unaware of the study of labour market characteristics of the non-Jewish population carried out by the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs and which the Committee requested in its previous comments, it requests the Government to supply information, including statistical data on the distribution of the non-Jewish population in different sectors of economic activity, disaggregated by sex, if possible.

6.  The Committee notes the Government’s statement that no key judicial decisions have been issued during the last few years under section 43 of the Employment Service Act (concerning appeals to regional labour tribunals against the decisions taken by employment offices, under section 42(b) of the same Act, to recruit a worker on the basis of the character or nature of the work or for reasons related to state security). Noting the Government’s explanation regarding the Committee’s request for the case cited as Plony v. State of Israel, the Committee notes that the case was referred to in the Government’s 1997 report in the context of the issue of state security (Article 4 of the Convention), but was never received by the Office. The Committee requests the Government to continue to supply copies of any administrative or judicial decisions issued relevant to the principle of non-discrimination in employment and occupation.