Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Czechia (Ratification: 1993)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that the next report will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Discrimination based on sex. Inherent requirements of the job. The Committee notes the explanations provided by the Government on the meaning of section 6(3) of Act No. 198/2009 of 23 April 2008 (the Anti-Discrimination Act) which provides for permissible differences in treatment which do not constitute discrimination based on sex. Recalling that exceptions relating to inherent requirements of a particular job should be interpreted restrictively and on a case by-case basis, the Committee request the Government provide information on the manner in which section 6(3) of the Anti-Discrimination Act has been applied in practice, providing examples of the particular jobs concerned.

Equality of opportunity of men and women in employment and occupation. The Committee notes from the OECD statistics that the employment rate of women (as a percentage of the total female population between 15 and 64) remains quite low at 57.2 per cent (2011). It also notes from the statistics provided by the Czech Statistical Office in the Labour Force Sample Survey (2011) that women are mostly concentrated in health and social work activities and education, and men predominate in construction, transportation and storage and manufacturing, and that overall the labour market remains significantly segregated by gender. The Committee notes from the detailed information provided by the Government that the share of part-time in total employment amounts to 5.5 per cent (8.5 per cent of women employment and 2 per cent of men). It also notes the Government’s indication that parental leaves are used mostly by women. The Committee notes that projects were implemented by the Labour Office to assist women to return to work after being away from the labour market due to child care or care for family members, long term unemployed women, women with a low level of education, women over 55, women who are single parents and women from minorities, including migrant women. The Committee notes that these projects focused on retraining and support to entrepreneurship, removing obstacles preventing women from participating in the labour market and reconciling work and family responsibilities, including through incentives for employers to adopt family friendly measures and the development of child care facilities. In this respect, the Committee notes the Government’s statement that it intends to focus strongly on the issue of reconciliation of work and family responsibilities and it will develop pre-school facilities and alternative family care options. With respect to public service employment, the Committee notes that within the framework of the Updated Measures for Priorities and Policies of the Government in Promoting Equal Opportunities for Women and Men adopted in 2011, all ministries have to promote actively equal representation of men and women in management positions and adopt specific measures when the representation of men or women in such positions is less than 30 per cent. Noting the new initiatives taken or envisaged by the Government, the Committee requests the Government to provide information, including statistics, on the results achieved by the measures taken to help women return to the labour market after a career break, and provide information on any measures taken, in cooperation with workers’ and employers’ organizations, to promote equal opportunities for men and women with respect to access to a wider range of jobs, including any measures aimed at addressing gender stereotypes regarding women’s professional aspirations, preferences and capabilities and the roles of men and women in the society. The Committee also requests the Government to provide specific information on the results achieved in the ministries regarding the access of women to management positions, including to decision-making positions, and to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to promote equal opportunities of men and women in the public sector. Please provide statistical information on the situation of men and women in employment, by economic sector and professional category.