Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Burkina Faso (Ratification: 1969)

The Committee takes note of the Government’s reports.

1. The Committee notes the Government’s confirmation that section 104 of the Labour Code (Act No. 11/92), which provides that "where there are equal working conditions, professional qualifications and output, the salary shall be equal for all workers no matter what their origin, sex, age or status", is still in force. In this context, the Committee recalls its previous comments concerning the formulation of section 104, emphasizing that the Convention lays out the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee is of the view that the current formulation of section 104 does not fully reflect the principle of the Convention. The Convention also covers situations where men and women work under different working conditions or with different qualifications, but perform jobs of equal value. The Committee hopes the Government will consider amending section 104 in order to bring it fully into line with the Convention. Please provide information on any other measures taken to ensure that the principle of the Convention is applied in practice.

2. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the national job classification system that was envisaged has not yet been established. The Committee hopes that the Government will continue to provide information in this regard in its next report. Please also provide information on any other initiatives in the public service or at the sector or enterprise level to undertake objective evaluation of jobs for the purposes of wage fixing.

3. With regard to the collection of statistical information concerning the levels of remuneration of women and men, the Committee once again encourages the Government to make every effort to collect such data and to share it with the Committee. Such information is of crucial importance in order to be able to assess the extent, scope and nature of existing inequalities in remuneration as between men and women. Recalling that the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women underlined in its 1999 concluding observations the existence of labour market segregation with regard to levels of remuneration, the Committee urges the Government to take all possible action to improve the status of women in the labour market, increase education and skill levels of women and widen occupational choices for women, all of which should lead to an improved application of the Convention.

4. The Committee reiterates its request to the Government to supply information on any activities of the social partners to promote the application of the Convention.