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

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Belize (Ratification: 1999)

Legislative developments. The Committee recalls that section 3(1) of the Equal Pay Act refers to “equal pay for equal work”, which is narrower than the principle of the Convention, and that section 2(1) of the Act is limited to work involving similar duties, conditions, qualifications, skills, effort, etc. and does not encompass the concept of “equal value”. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Labour Advisory Board (LAB), which is comprised of representatives from workers’ and employers’ organizations, has proposed amendments to extend the application of the Equal Pay Act to cover claims for equal pay for work of equal value. It also notes the Government’s indication that the National Gender Policy adopted in 2003 has been reviewed and a revised National Gender Policy was drafted in May 2010. The Government also indicates that the revised National Gender Policy concluded that the passage of legislation on equal pay for work of equal value requires special strategies to ensure its effective implementation, and that one of the main aims of the Policy is to safeguard women’s right to equal opportunities for employment, remuneration, benefits, treatment and work evaluation, on an equal basis with men. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the steps taken to follow up on the LAB’s recommendation to revise the Equal Pay Act, 2003, with a view to giving full legislative expression to the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, and to provide information on progress made in this regard. Please also provide information on current measures taken to implement the National Gender Policy with respect to adopting special strategies requiring equal remuneration for work of equal value.

Article 1(a) of the Convention. Equal remuneration. The Committee recalls the Government’s previous statement that according to the Widows’ and Children’s Pension Act, only male public officers contribute to the Children’s Pension Fund, and therefore the pension is paid only to their wives and children under the age of 16 and those children pursuing full-time education. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Ministry of Labour has undertaken consultations with the LAB on the recommendation in the National Gender Policy 2003 to amend the Widow’s and Children’s Pension Act to ensure that women and men are treated equally with respect to the opportunity to contribute to the pension scheme and to be entitled to the benefits under the Act. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the steps taken or envisaged to amend the Widow’s and Children’s Pension Act so that it provides equal access and benefits to women and men, or to repeal the Act. It also asks the Government to provide information on any follow-up action being taken to amend other laws which treat women in a discriminatory manner, inter alia, as regards pension rights as identified in the National Gender Policy 2003.

Article 2. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Statistical Institute of Belize in its population census of 2010 conducted a labour force survey. There was a 46 per cent increase in the size of the labour force from the year 2000 to 130,717 in the year 2010; men continued to constitute the larger part of the labour force at 79,760 while the number of women were 50,957; men generally earned more than women and in the year 2010, men’s average monthly income was Belizean dollar (BZD) 922, compared to BZD882 for women. However, the Government indicates that the disaggregated data by sex, occupation and earnings level is not yet available. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the specific measures taken or envisaged to address the gender pay gap, including the measures to increase the representation of women in middle and higher income levels, and the results achieved. The Committee also asks the Government to provide information on the promotion of the application of the principle of equal remuneration in both the public and private sectors, including copies of collective agreements containing equal remuneration provisions.

Public sector. The Committee recalls its previous comments concerning the pay scales for public officers, police officers and members of the defence force, disaggregated by sex, and the participation of women at all levels of the police and the defence force. Noting that no information has been provided by the Government on this point, the Committee asks the Government to provide detailed information, disaggregated by sex, on the prevailing pay scales and the corresponding grades and posts and to indicate what measures have been taken or are envisaged to increase the participation of women at all levels of the police and the defence force. Please provide an updated copy of the table “Job title by sex”.

Articles 3 and 4. Objective job evaluation. Cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that draft amendments made by the LAB include provision for job evaluation studies to assist with assessing the value of work. The Committee asks the Government to continue to provide information on the activities of the Labour Advisory Board, in relation to equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, and on job evaluation in the public and private sectors. The Committee also asks the Government to provide any other information on cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations for the purposes of giving effect to the provisions of the Convention.

Parts III to V of the report form. Please provide any other information, such as reports from the regular inspection and advisory services and administrative and judicial decisions, which may further assist the Committee in assessing how the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value is applied in practice.