Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2014, published 104th ILC session (2015)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Papua New Guinea (Ratification: 2000)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous comments.

Repetition

Article 1 of the Convention. Sexual harassment. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the sixth draft of the Industrial Relations Bill maintains the prohibition on sexual harassment of an employee or applicant for employment. The Committee also notes that the Government again commits to include provisions on sexual harassment at the workplace in the context of the revision of the Employment Act 1978. The Committee further notes that the Government reiterates in its latest report that the matter will be brought to the attention of the Department of Personnel Management for possible review and amendment of the General Orders, however, without specifying any concrete steps taken in this respect. The Committee, therefore, once again asks the Government to indicate any concrete steps taken to incorporate provisions on sexual harassment that would protect men and women equally in the Public Service (Management) Act 1995 and the Public Service General Orders, as well as measures taken to include provisions defining and prohibiting both quid pro quo and hostile environment sexual harassment in the context of the review of the Employment Act 1978. Please also provide information on awareness raising activities aimed at preventing and addressing sexual harassment in the public and private sectors.

Article 2. Equality of opportunity and treatment between men and women. Access of rural women to particular occupations. The Committee had asked the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to improve women’s access to credit and loans. The Committee notes that the Government’s report does not contain any information in this regard. In this connection, the Committee notes that the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), in its concluding observations expressed its concern that women lack access to credit and banking facilities, linked to their lack of ownership of land, which is a major constraint to their participation in small business projects, and urged the Government to ensure access for women to income-generation opportunities including training, markets and credit (CEDAW/C/PNG/CO/3, 30 July 2010, paragraphs 45 and 46). The Committee asks the Government to indicate specific measures taken or envisaged to improve women’s access to credit, loans and land, in particular those in rural areas, with a view to allowing them to exercise occupations on an equal footing with men. Please also provide specific information on steps taken to increase the access of rural women to income-generating opportunities.

Article 3(e). Access to vocational training and education. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that opportunities for training and placement are provided on an equal basis to promote equality of participation, as called for under the Constitution, and women are encouraged to participate and be involved in all opportunities. The Committee also notes that CEDAW recommended that the Government take effective steps to overcome traditional attitudes in order to ensure equal access of girls and women to all levels of education and their retention (CEDAW/C/PNG/CO/3, 30 July 2010, paragraphs 37 and 38). Recalling that vocational training and education have an important role in determining the actual possibilities of gaining access to employment and occupations, the Committee asks the Government to indicate the specific measures taken or envisaged to improve the participation of women and girls in education and training. Please also provide details of any measures taken to increase the number of girls and women in education and training programmes to provide them with access to a wide range of jobs including traditionally “male” jobs.

Statistics. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the general situation of employment and human resource development depicts a greater turnout of women in employment and occupations that were previously dominated by men, however, without providing any statistical data. Recalling the importance of appropriate data and statistics in determining the nature, extent and causes of existing inequalities, and to monitor the impact of measures taken, the Committee urges the Government to compile and analyse statistics disaggregated by sex and ethnic origin, on the participation in education, vocational training, and at the various levels in the different sectors and occupations in both the public and private sectors.

Part IV of the report form. Judicial and administrative decisions. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that no further progress has been made regarding judicial and administrative decisions concerning discrimination in employment and occupation. Recalling that the absence of complaints of discrimination could indicate a lack of awareness of the principle of the Convention, or absence of practical access to procedures, the Committee once again asks the Government to take measures to increase the awareness and knowledge of the principle of the Convention among those responsible for monitoring and enforcing the principle, and the general public. It also requests information on any judicial and administrative decisions, as well as cases of violations reported to or detected by the labour inspectors regarding discrimination in employment and occupation.