Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - New Caledonia

Article 2 of the Convention. Equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee notes that the Government’s brief report does not enable an evaluation of the application, in practice, of the provisions of the Convention, particularly, of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The Committee, therefore, requests the Government to provide detailed information on the measures taken to apply the principle of the Convention.

Measures to combat the gender wage gap. In its previous comments, the Committee underlined the existence of wage gaps in sectors of activity and occupational categories in which women predominated and asked the Government to indicate the remedial action taken. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that no measures have been taken to reduce disparities in wages or to promote the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. It notes that the information published by the Skills Development Institute of New Caledonia for 2014, concerning the position of women in training and employment shows that significant wage gaps persist according to areas of activity, even though average gaps are less pronounced, and that women are less well paid than men for equivalent levels of training and seniority (an average gap of 20 per cent). The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to eliminate gender wage gaps and occupational segregation which concentrates women in less-paid jobs and sectors, particularly by combating social stereotypes regarding “male” and “female” jobs and by establishing schemes to enable both women and men to achieve a better balance between family life and work. It also requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this respect and to continue providing information on the employment situation of men and women and the gender wage gap.

Enforcement. Labour inspection. The Committee notes the Government’s statement that the labour inspection services do not monitor compliance with the labour legislation as it relates to equal remuneration for men and women and do not undertake any preventive or advisory actions in relation to workers and employers. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to enable labour inspectors to perform their duties in terms of enforcing the labour legislation as it relates to equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value (section Lp. 141-1 in conjunction with section Lp. 711-1 of the Labour Code of New Caledonia), and to provide information on measures taken in this respect.

[The Government is asked to reply in full to the present comments in 2017.]