Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2017, published 107th ILC session (2018)

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) - Lesotho (Ratification: 1998)

Articles 1, 2 and 4 of the Convention. Promotion of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. Cooperation with social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MLE) created a website in 2014 that aims at disseminating information on workers’ rights and raising awareness on all ratified ILO Conventions, in particular the core Conventions. It further indicates that the Ministry has set up a specialized unit among whose responsibilities is to coordinate with other Government ministries on matters relating to ILO Conventions. The Committee asks the Government to take action to specifically promote the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value and raise awareness on the means to implement such principle, such as the promotion of objective job evaluation methods in the private sector, and organize training thereon among workers, employers and their respective organizations. It further asks the Government to provide information on any measures taken to promote the inclusion of the principle of the Convention in the context of collective bargaining.

Article 3. Objective job evaluation. Public service. The Committee welcomes the information provided by the Government on the Job Evaluation Report which concentrates mainly on grading structure and evaluation results for different job families (134 jobs selected from 1,400 jobs across ministries and agencies). The evaluation report has been implemented through a salary review in 2013 and the upgrading of some positions. The Committee notes that the job evaluation system is complemented by a merit-based recruitment process that includes a psychometric and competency assessment of the candidate and that an Assessment and Development Centre (CAD) within the Ministry of Public Service is established to assist in this regard. The Committee notes from the statistical data provided by the Government on government employees disaggregated by gender and salary grade, as at 30 July 2016, that there is a total of 19,747 men employees and 22,864 women employees (representing 53.7 per cent) in the public service. Noting the Government’s statement that the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value was used, the Committee asks the Government to provide specific information on the manner in which it was taken into consideration and, more specifically, on the impact of the implementation of the job evaluation process, including the salary review, on the jobs mainly held by women and on any gender pay gap in the public service. The Committee also requests the Government to indicate if and how the principle of the Convention is taken into account by the CAD, and if there are any studies showing the relative position of men and women in the public service, including the differences in their earnings.

Statistical information. While noting the above information on the public service, the Committee requests the Government to provide any compiled information regarding the private sector on the distribution of men and women in the various sectors of the economy and their respective levels of earnings, in particular in low-paid sectors.