Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2006, published 96th ILC session (2007)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Benin (Ratification: 1968)

1. Article 2 of the Convention. Application of the principle by means of minimum wages. With reference to its previous comments on the minimum wages in the construction and public works sector, the Committee notes that the Government’s report does not include further information on the consideration given to extending the minimum wage legislation to other sectors of employment. Recalling the importance of establishing minimum wages in promoting the application of the Convention’s principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, the Committee trusts that the Government will provide this information with its next report.

2. Application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the public service. With respect to its previous comments on the low representation of women in the public service, in particular in higher level positions, and its consequences for achieving equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the “Government Action Programme II” (PAG II) which aims at promoting access of girls to higher education. It also notes that continuous training programmes are being organized for middle and senior staff and that the establishment of a permanent system monitoring the promotion of personnel is envisaged. It notes in this regard the information provided by the Government in its report on the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) on the participation rate of women in these courses. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on these and other measures taken to improve the representation of women in the public service and to illustrate in its next report how these measures have helped to reduce the differences in remuneration between men and women.

3. Application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the private sector. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that there is no difference in treatment with respect to access of men and women to the different branches of activity in the private sector. In addition, women working in agriculture increase their income through microfinance credits. While appreciating this information, the Committee must point out that without further detailed information on the measures taken to promote the principle of the Convention in the private sector, it is unable to assess any progress made in the application of the Convention. The Committee recalls that differences in remuneration between men and women are not necessarily related to inequalities in law, but often arise from the concentration and segregation in practice of women in a limited number of occupations and economic sectors. Therefore, proactive policies to promote and ensure the employment of women in a wide range of sectors and occupations can have an important indirect impact on attaining equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee trusts that the next government report will contain more concrete information on how the Government is addressing specifically the vertical and horizontal job segregation of women with a view to reducing the remuneration gap between men and women.

4. Statistical information. For several years the Committee has been asking the Government for disaggregated labour statistics. It notes the Government’s statement that the Labour Statistics Unit is still not operative and that the training of the officials continues, with the assistance of the ILO. The Committee reminds the Government of the importance of gathering relevant statistics, disaggregated by sex, on the earnings of men and women in the various job categories and sectors of employment, and hopes that the Government will make every effort to include in its next report at least some of the statistics that the Committee had requested previously. In the meantime, the Committee would appreciate receiving all available information on how the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is applied in practice.

5. The Committee understands that the Government will participate in the second phase of the Programme for the Realization of the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (PAMODEC), which has amongst its objectives the promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment with a view to eliminating discrimination in employment and occupation, including wage discrimination. The Committee welcomes this initiative and hopes that the activities carried out under this Programme will assist the Government and the social partners in building their capacity to reduce existing pay differentials between men and women, and to address all or some of the points raised above.