Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Gabon (Ratification: 1961)

1. Article 1(b) of the Convention. Work of equal value. With respect to the limited scope of section 140 of the Labour Code which does not appear to allow a comparison between jobs performed by men and women which are of a different nature but of equal value, the Committee notes the Government’s intention to amend this provision during the next revision of the Labour Code. The Committee hopes that the opportunity for such a revision will soon arise and asks the Government to keep it informed of any progress made in this regard.

2. Article 2. Determination of wages and additional allowances without discrimination based on sex. The Committee notes that the Government merely refers to its previous statements that wages are determined without discrimination based on sex, without providing any further details enabling the Committee to assess how the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is applied in practice. It therefore asks the Government to make every effort to provide in its next report information on the manner in which the principle of the Convention is being taken into account in minimum wage fixing, and to transmit copies of collective agreements fixing wages in various economic sectors. Please also provide information on the manner in which workers and employers take the Convention into consideration in the collective bargaining process, as well as on any other measures taken to promote and ensure, in practice, equal remuneration between men and women for work of equal value in both the public and private sectors.

3. Part V of the report form. Statistics. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that in the absence of a national institute of statistics, there are no data available on the earnings of men and women in the public and private sector. The Committee recalls its previous comments in which it had noted the Government’s intention to strengthen the statistical unit attached to the Directorate of Research and Documentation, and asks the Government to provide information on the progress made in strengthening this unit as well as any other efforts undertaken to work towards the collection of statistical data disaggregated by sex on the earnings of men and women in the various sectors of the economy as outlined in its general observation of 1998 (which is attached for ease of reference).

4. Mechanisms to enforce and promote the Convention. In the absence of any information on this point, the Committee must reiterate its previous requests for information on the activities taken by the labour inspectorate to promote equal remuneration and on cases of wage discrimination addressed by them. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Ministry of Family Affairs, the Protection of Children and the Promotion of Women (MFAPCP), the non-governmental organizations and the women’s associations are continuing to raise public awareness through seminars and workshops. The Committee would be grateful to receive more details on how these activities have contributed in practice to reducing existing wage disparities between men and women and to the promotion of equal remuneration for work of equal value.