Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2008, published 98th ILC session (2009)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Rwanda (Ratification: 1980)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

1. Assessment of the gender wage gap. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the Government is carrying out a labour force survey which will also provide information concerning the income of men and women. The Committee asks the Government to provide the results of the survey in respect of the remuneration received by men and women in its next report.

2. Determination of wages. The Committee notes the Government’s explanations concerning the determination of wages through minimum wage fixing, collective agreements and individual contracts. The report also states that the minimum wage has not yet been decreed. The Committee asks the Government to keep it informed of the progress made in fixing the guaranteed minimum wage as envisaged under section 83 of the Labour Code and to provide examples of collective agreements, indicating in which ways these agreements are designed to address gender wage disparities. Please also indicate whether any practical measures are being taken to assist enterprises to establish remuneration in accordance with the Convention’s principle.

3. Enforcement. The Government states that it could be assumed that the principle of equal remuneration established in section 84 of the Labour Code was being applied, given that no complaints had been raised with the labour inspection services. However, the Committee notes that the absence of complaints does not by any means establish that the Convention’s principle is being complied with in all instances. With reference to its comments under the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111), on the need to strengthen training and awareness-raising measures on equality issues, the Committee asks the Government to ensure that such measures specifically promote the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value and to provide information on any steps taken in this regard. Please indicate whether any training concerning the Convention’s principle has been provided to labour inspectors, and whether they can investigate issues of equal remuneration on their own initiative. The Committee further asks the Government to inform it when there are any cases involving section 84 of the Labour Code dealt with by the labour inspection services or the courts.

4. Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that objective job evaluation was not yet being carried out in the private sector. In its previous report, the Government indicated that objective job evaluation will be undertaken in the context of future collective or enterprise agreements. The Committee asks the Government to indicate any measures taken to promote actively the use of objective job evaluation methods as a means to determine remuneration free from gender bias.