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

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Benin (Ratification: 1968)

Application of the principle through collective agreements. Cooperation with the social partners. In its previous comments, the Committee drew the Government’s attention to clauses contained in certain collective agreements, including the recently concluded sectoral collective agreement applicable to the press, under which equal wages are envisaged “under equal conditions of work, seniority, vocational qualifications or skills”. The Committee considered that the principle set out by this type of clause was more limited in scope than the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value, and asked the Government to take measures in order to improve understanding by the social partners of the principle laid out in the Convention. Noting the indication that the Government’s intention is to make all necessary efforts in order to improve social partners’ understanding of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on any specific measures taken in this regard and to provide copies of clauses in collective agreements applying the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value.

Application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the private sector. The Committee notes the statistics of 2006 and 2007 provided by the Government which indicate that the economic activity rates for men and women were almost equal (respectively 51.2 and 54.1 per cent). The Committee notes however that only 1 per cent of working women held management positions (as opposed to 3.3 per cent of men), 1.6 per cent were employees (men accounting for 5.6 per cent), and 23 per cent of women were family helpers (whereas men accounted for 12.2 per cent).The Committee also notes that the rate of self employed women increased from 60 per cent in 2006 to 70.3 per cent in 2007. In its previous comments, the Committee welcomed the measures taken by the Ministry of Labour and the Public Service to promote the employment of women and combat occupational segregation in the labour market, including with respect to education, vocational training and eliminating gender stereotypes. The Committee also drew the Government’s attention to the need to ensure that measures and arrangements intended to allow workers with family responsibilities to have access to vocational training and employment be accessible to workers of both sexes on an equal footing. Noting the absence of information provided on this matter, the Committee again asks the Government to provide detailed information on the implementation of the measures adopted for the employment of women, and their impact on women’s remuneration and on reducing the gender wage gap.

Minimum wages. Determination of remuneration. The Committee welcomes the adoption of Order No. 071/MTFP/DC/SGM/DGT/DRP/SP-CNT on 23 February 2011 concerning the re-evaluation of minimum wages in various branches of the private and para-public sectors, as provided for in Labour Code which contains classification tables of minimum wages for workers. The Committee notes the minimum wage tables provided by the Government for nine branches of economic activity in the private sector (mechanical engineering, hotel industry, house workers, etc.). The Committee also notes the classification of types of occupations provided by the Government which, according to the report, has been developed in collaboration with social partners, and takes into account the national economy data, corporate data, the cost of living, education levels and work experience. The Committee recalls that often men and women work in different branches of economic activity, carrying out different tasks, and occupations, as shown by the statistics provided by the Government for 2006 and 2007. The Committee also recalls that ensuring minimum wages which do not differentiate between men and women is insufficient to ensure that minimum wage setting mechanisms are entirely free from gender bias. The Committee asks the Government to indicate how it is ensured that job classification and minimum wage setting mechanisms in different sectors of the economy and occupations dominated by women, to not undervalue certain capacities considered to be “feminine”, such as manual dexterity, or care for people, in comparison with work of equal value performed by men which use different capacities (such as physical strength). Please provide information on concrete measures taken to ensure that minimum wages in jobs that are held predominantly or exclusively by women are not undervalued and are set on the basis of objective criteria free from gender bias.

Application of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in the public service. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that a study on equal remuneration in the public sector has been launched in July 2011. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the results achieved by the study on remuneration in the public sector and trusts that the Government will take this opportunity to revise wage policies in the public sector in order to ensure that the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value is fully taken into account and recognized as an explicit target of the policy.

Promotion of the principle of the Convention. Other measures. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that awareness-raising activities and training were organized for labour inspectors, judges and social partners, and a study on discrimination in employment and occupation was carried out and validated. The Committee also notes that a national plan against discrimination is currently being developed on the basis of this study. The Committee asks the Government to indicate which measures are taken to promote and ensure the application of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value provided for in the national plan against discrimination and to provide information on their implementation once the plan has been adopted.

Statistical information. The Committee notes the statistical data provided on rates of employment for men and women and their distribution within different types of occupations (manager, employee, labourer, employer, self-employed, apprentice, family helper) during 2006 and 2007. In order to evaluate the application of the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value in practice, the Committee asks the Government to provide available statistics on the situation of men and women in the labour market, according to different branches of economic activity and, if possible, by occupation, as well as their respective levels of earnings.