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

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Iceland (Ratification: 1963)

1. The Committee observes from the statistics included in the publication "Iceland in figures 2001-02" and the Labour Force Survey by Statistics Iceland that the unemployment rate for women in the year 2000 was 2.9 per cent, and for men 1.8 per cent, and that these figures have been progressively dropping since 1995. The Committee also notes that only 3.7 per cent of the total of employed women are senior officials or managers, while this figure is of 8.6 per cent in the case of working men. The statistics also show that 84.7 per cent of the working women concentrate in services activities, where 24.6 per cent are employed in health services and social work, and 14.3 per cent in wholesale and retail trade.

2. The Committee also notes the information provided on the results obtained by the Four-Year Plan of Action to establish equality between women and men for the period 1998-2001, regarding the different projects undertaken by each ministry. The Committee requests the Government to continue providing information on the implementation of these projects and the new legislation and on new action plans adopted.

3. The Committee asks the Government to provide information in its next report on the manner in which discrimination on the grounds listed in the Convention other than sex is prohibited and equality is promoted in practice and the results achieved.