Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Georgia (Ratification: 1993)

Assessment of the gender wages gap. The Committee notes from the statistics provided by the Government on the average monthly nominal wages of men and women that, overall, in the first quarter of 2010, women earned 58.6 per cent of men’s wages, which represents an increase of 2.6 per cent compared to the first quarter of 2009. The Committee notes that in the first quarter of 2010, the wage gap remained very wide in certain sectors, including in the fishing industry (women earned 53.7 per cent of men’s wages); in health and social services (59.4 per cent) and in wholesale and retail trade (63.5 per cent). The Committee also notes the statistics provided by Geostat according to which, in the first quarter of 2011, the wage gap was 19 per cent in public administration, 22.6 per cent in the education sector, 24.4 per cent in the construction sector and 40 per cent in financial services. The Government indicates that according to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Gender Assessment Report of June 2010, although 40.8 per cent of Georgian firms have at least one female owner, women only account for 19.7 per cent of those in top management positions. The Committee notes that women’s representation is very low in decision-making positions in Government, and that women account for only 6 per cent of members of Parliament. The Committee asks the Government to take measures in order to address occupational segregation and promote women’s access to top management positions and higher paying jobs. The Committee also asks the Government to continue providing statistical data on men and women’s monthly wages, according to economic sector and occupation.

Measures to promote equal remuneration. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that grants are offered to students in higher educational institutions, including in technical professions such as science, engineering and information technology, and that in 2010, female students accounted for 61.9 per cent of those receiving grants. The Government also indicates that between 2005 and 2010, female students’ representation in technical fields of study increased by 9 per cent. The Committee notes however that female students still dominate in the fields of education, arts and humanities. The Government states that male and female students have equal opportunities in access to education and that the high level of access to education for women positively affects their employment opportunities. The Committee also notes that section 7 of the Law on Gender Equality guarantees equal access to general, vocational and higher education, and obliges the State to ensure equal conditions in receiving general, vocational or higher education for women and men in all educational institutions “including participation in implementation of educational and scientific processes”. The Committee asks the Government to provide more specific information on measures taken to foster women’s access to traditionally male-dominated fields of study, and to a wider range of occupations in employment, including under section 7 of the Law on Gender Equality. The Committee also asks the Government to provide statistical information, disaggregated by sex, on the number of graduates being able to secure employment following the completion of their studies and their earnings and occupations. While welcoming the detailed information provided on grants, vocational training programmes and education, the Committee reiterates its request for information on measures aimed more specifically at implementing equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, including awareness-raising activities in cooperation with the social partners.

Article 3 of the Convention. Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes that the Government does not provide any information on steps taken to promote objective job evaluation but states once again that when the State is party to a collective agreement, it “can be responsible to define job evaluation methods”, and that otherwise, job evaluation methods are defined by the parties to the agreement. The Committee asks the Government to take concrete steps in order to promote objective job evaluation and to provide information concerning such promotion and concerning training for those who undertake job evaluation.

Article 4. Cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that equal remuneration for work of equal value has not yet been raised by social partners in the context of discussions organized by the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission. The Committee encourages the Government to take steps in order to seek collaboration of workers’ and employers’ organizations, including through the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission, in order to give full effect to the Convention, and to provide information in this respect.

Parts III and IV of the report form. Enforcement. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission has the mandate to monitor compliance with the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value and that no cases on equal remuneration have yet been observed. The Committee recalls that the absence of complaints is likely to indicate a lack of an appropriate legal framework, a lack of awareness of the rights, a lack of confidence in or absence of practical access to procedures, or fear of reprisals. The Committee asks the Government to take steps in order to raise awareness of the laws and procedures available and to take steps in order to train judges, inspectors and other labour officials on detecting and addressing unequal pay, in collaboration with the Tripartite Social Partnership Commission. Please provide any information on decisions handed down by courts or other competent bodies with regard to the application of the Convention as well as on any violations detected by or brought to the attention of the labour inspectorate, the sanctions imposed and the remedies provided.