Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2012, published 102nd ILC session (2013)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Egypt (Ratification: 1960)

Assessment of the gender pay gap. The Committee recalls its previous comment in which it noted that women were predominantly employed in the public sector, with a very low rate of female participation in the private sector (around 22 per cent) and also the difficulty in assessing the gender pay gap. The Committee asks the Government to indicate the measures taken or envisaged with a view to narrowing the gender pay gap and addressing occupational sex segregation, for example, by undertaking a study to determine the nature, extent and causes of gender pay gaps that may exist both in the public and the private sectors.

Wage determination. In its report, the Government reiterates its explanations concerning the terms of reference of the National Wage Council under Order No. 983 of 2003 and indicates in this regard that the most important tasks of the Council are to set minimum wages at the national level while taking into account the cost of living to ensure a minimum living wage for workers, determine the structure of wages in the different occupations, sectors and activities and formulate a national policy on wages. The Committee also notes from the Government’s report that as part of a conference on social dialogue, discussions on the fixing of minimum wages in the private and public sectors are currently ongoing with the social partners. Further to its previous request, the Committee again asks the Government to indicate the manner in which the National Wages Council ensures, when determining wage structures, that wage rates are fixed based on objective criteria, free from gender bias, and that occupations, sectors and activities in which women predominate are not being undervalued in comparison with those of men who are performing different work and using different skills.

Awareness raising and enforcement. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that the training sessions on the concept of “work of equal value” and on objective job evaluation methods have not yet taken place but that the Government hopes to receive ILO technical assistance in this regard. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on any further steps taken to advance the training on “work of equal value” and objective job evaluation methods. It also asks the Government to provide information on the enforcement activities of the labour inspectorate in the field of wage discrimination, as well as on any judicial decisions relating to the principle of equal remuneration.