Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1990, published 77th ILC session (1990)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Israel (Ratification: 1959)

The Committee notes the Government's report for the years 1986-87 and the detailed information supplied in reply to its previous comments.

1. With reference to its observation, the Committee hopes that the Government will provide information (including statistical data) on the practical effects of the New Employment (Equal Opportunities) Law, 1988, for women belonging both to the Jewish population (irrespective of their country of origin) and to non-Jewish minorities. The Committee would also like to be informed on the scope and practical application of section 2(c) of the Law which provides that differential treatment necessitated by the character or nature of the assignment or post shall not be regarded as discrimination under this section.

2. The Committee notes the statistics provided on the participation of women in active life, which show an increase of 0.5 per cent in 1986 over the previous years. The Committee also notes the various activities (including seminars and training courses) for the advancement of women in the civil service; it hopes that further information from reports by the various government departments on the implementation of the Equal Opportunity for Women in the Civil Service Resolution of 28 April 1985 will be forwarded with the next report.

The Committee notes the detailed information regarding the participation of women in vocational training courses in both the Ministry's and private facilities. It requests the Government to continue supplying detailed information on any further measures taken to facilitate the access of women to education and vocational training, and to indicate the results obtained through such measures with regard to both women belonging to the Jewish population (irrespective of their countries of origin) and to non-Jewish minorities.

3. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government with regard to vocational and academic training of Arab citizens. It requests the Government to continue supplying information on any further measures taken to promote the effective access to education and vocational training for persons belonging to the non-Jewish population, and on the results obtained through such measures.

In this connection, the Committee wishes in particular to be provided with recent statistics on the number of persons belonging to these minorities that have been able to attend secondary schools and higher technical schools and universities, and on their percentage in relation to persons belonging to the Jewish population that have been able to attend such schools and universities.

The Committee further notes the statistics provided on the number of persons occupying managerial and trustworthy positions, or belonging to the category of scientific, academic and other professional, technical and related workers, or to the category of clerical and related workers, showing that the share of non-Jewish workers, especially in managerial positions, is still smaller than the share of Jewish workers.

While understanding the reasons for the existing difference, the Committee hopes that the Government will continue to provide information on the progress achieved in the promotion of equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation for persons belonging both to the Jewish population and to non-Jewish minorities.

4. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government that section 42(a) of the Employment Service Law had recently been amended to the effect that any discrimination by an employer is prohibited, whether or not a worker was referred to an employer by an Employment Service Bureau and that there is now no distinction in this matter between employees referred to in sections 32(a) and 32(b) of the Law. The Committee requests the Government to provide with its next report the text of the amended law, as well as information on the practical effects of the amendment indicating in particular whether the prohibition of discrimination is limited to certain branches of work, trades and occupations (as listed in the second schedule of the law), or whether it is of a general application.

5. The Committee notes the information that an average 1,000 appeals under section 43 of the Employment Service Law are lodged per year before the Appeals Committees, and that translations of judicial decisions in this respect will be submitted with the next report.

6. The Committee hopes that the Government will soon be able to report on the progress achieved in the adoption of the draft Bill of Rights which was intended formally to enshrine the national policy for the elimination of any discrimination on grounds that correspond to those enumerated in Article 1(a) of the Convention.