Demande directe (CEACR) - adoptée 2007, publiée 97ème session CIT (2008)

The Committee notes the communication from the National Union of Angolan Workers (UNTA) of 16 August 2007 concerning the application of the Convention. The Committee notes that once again the Government’s report contains no response to the points raised in its previous comments. It reminds the Government that sending relevant information would enable it to better appreciate the progress made by the Government in applying the Convention and better understand the challenges that the Government has yet to meet. The Committee is, therefore, obliged to reiterate its previous comments and address a number of other matters.

1. Article 1 of the Convention. Scope of application. The Committee recalls the Government’s statement that the categories excluded from the application of the General Labour Act No. 2/00 (sections 1(3) and 2) are covered by separate laws. Please provide copies of the relevant laws, as well as any information on the manner in which the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value is applied to these categories of workers, and especially civil servants, casual workers and homeworkers.

2. Article 2. Practical application of the principle set forth in the Convention. The Committee notes from the Government’s report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/AGO/4-5, June 2004) that the majority of women working in the civil service in 2002 (75 per cent) belonged to the administrative and assistance staff. During the same year in the diplomatic corps, only 21 per cent of the positions of responsibility were occupied by women and in the justice service only 13 per cent of judges and magistrates were women. Noting as well that men vastly outnumbered women in Angolan political life, the Committee reminds the Government that occupational segregation of women into lower paying jobs or occupations and lower positions without promotion opportunities is one of the causes of pay differentials between men and women. It asks the Government, therefore, to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to address occupational segregation of women in both the public and private sectors and to promote their access to better paid higher status jobs and managerial positions, including the results achieved.

3. Education and training. The Committee previously noted that the disparities between men and women in access to education had also been highlighted by the Government in its report to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW/C/AGO/4-5, June 2004). The Committee notes that, according to the communication from the UNTA, women continue to receive low wages, particularly in the private sector, because of their low level of schooling. Noting that equal access to education is an area of concern of the Strategic Framework for the Promotion of Gender Equality by the Year 2005, the Committee asks the Government to send information on the measures taken or envisaged to improve access of women and girls to education and training, and the impact of such measures on the promotion of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value.

4. Article 3. Objective job evaluation. Referring to its previous comments concerning the application of sections 164(2) and (3) of the General Labour Act, the Committee must reiterate its request to the Government to provide information regarding the methods of job evaluation used to determine rates of remuneration in the public and private sectors.

5. Article 4. Cooperation with the social partners. The Committee notes that, according to the communication from the UNTA, the National Employment Commission organizes consultations between the various social partners, but on an irregular basis. The Committee hopes that the Government will take appropriate steps to ensure that the National Employment Commission functions properly and hopes that the Government will work in close cooperation with this Commission to prevent and eliminate wage disparities between men and women. The Committee asks the Government to send information on the manner in which the social partners integrate the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, and on the initiatives of the National Employment Commission.

6. Part V of the report form. Statistics. While taking due note of the difficulties which the Government may have in gathering and processing statistics on the remuneration of men and women, the Committee asks the Government to do its utmost to provide any available information on the remuneration of men and women, disaggregated by sector and category of employment, in the public and private sectors.