Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2025, published 114th ILC session (2026)

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) (Ratification: 1969)
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) (Ratification: 2001)

In order to provide a comprehensive view of the issues relating to the application of ratified Conventions on equality, the Committee considers it appropriate to examine the Conventions Nos 100 (equal remuneration) and 111 (discrimination in employment and occupation) together.

Convention No. 111 – National policy to promote equality of opportunity and treatment in respect of employment and occupation

Article 1(1)(b). Protection against discrimination. Real or perceived HIV status. Dismissal. Legislation.In the absence of a reply to its previous comment, the Committee once again requests the Government to provide specific information on: (i) the activities actually carried out by the Inter-Enterprise Committee to Combat HIV/AIDS in relation to non-discrimination, with an indication of the target groups concerned; and (ii) the measures taken to train labour inspectors and magistrates on the issue of discrimination in employment and occupation on the basis of real or perceived HIV status.

Article 2. Equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women. Access to education, vocational training and productive resources. The Government refers in its report to the formulation and adoption at the technical level of the National Strategy for the Promotion of Gender and Equality of Opportunity in the Public Administration and the National Prevention and Response Strategy in cases of exploitation, sexual abuse and sexual harassment in the public administration. It emphasizes that there has been an improvement in the figures for the school attendance of girls following the reforms adopted in the sector, such as free basic education. The Government adds that the 2024–25 data is partial as it is still gross and is being processed. The Committee requests the Government to provide: (i) information on the process of the definitive adoption of the two strategies referred to above; and (ii) detailed statistics disaggregated by sex on access to education at all levels and covering several years.

Access to employment and occupation. The Committee notes that the Government reports the establishment in the near future of a mechanism for the General Secretariat of Employment and Labour to gather statistical data on the world of work and welcomes the Government’s request for ILO technical assistance for the completion of this process. The Committee hopes that this technical assistance will be provided in the near future and requests the Government to provide information on the action taken as a result of this request. The Committee also reiterates its request to the Government to: (i) take measures to improve the employment rate of women and their access to employment and the various occupations in sectors where their participation is low; and (ii) provide all the available data on the employment of men and women in the public and private sectors, including in agriculture.

Special protection measures for women. Restrictions on women’s employment. The Committee recalls that section 128 of the Labour Code, under the terms of which “orders issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, based on the advice of the National Labour Council (CNT), shall determine the conditions of work of women (...) and shall determine, among other matters, the types of the work that are prohibited for them”, has still not been repealed or amended. The Government indicates that it will submit this matter to a forthcoming session of the CNT. The Committee once again requests the Government to take the necessary measures to amend or repeal section 128 of the Labour Code.

Article 5. Affirmative measure for women’s employment. In the absence of information on the application of incentives for the employment of women set out in Act No. 15/013 of 1 August 2015 on measures for the application of the rights of women and parity, the Committee once again requests the Government to: (i) indicate the measures adopted in accordance with the provisions of the Act to promote women’s employment, and particularly section 22 (measures by the employer intended to correct existing inequalities and to reconcile work and family responsibilities); and (ii) provide information on their impact on the employment of women.

Convention No. 100 – Principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value

Article 2(2)(b). Wage policy. Minimum wage. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the wage policy and the minimum wage. The Government indicates that the draft wage policy for public employees received technical validation on 17 July 2025 in the presence of members of the Government and the National Inter-Union Confederation of the Public Administration (INAP) and that it takes into account the relevant international labour standards. It informs the Committee that, at its 37th Session (25–29 April 2025), the CNT recommended the formulation of a global “national” wage policy covering both public officials and workers covered by the Labour Code. Once adopted, this policy will be communicated to the Committee. The Committee notes that the Government undertakes to provide it with information on progress in the discussions in the CNT and to ensure that jobs and tasks that have traditionally been considered to be feminine are not undervalued when remuneration is determined. The Committee also notes that awareness-raising and training activities are envisaged for the members of the Tripartite Committee on the Minimum Wage and the CNT in order to disseminate knowledge of the wage policy. Finally, it notes with interest the adjustment of the minimum wage (SMIG) by Decree No. 25/22 of 30 May 2025 from 7,075 to 21,000 Congolese francs, in a measure agreed by consensus in the CNT and to be applied progressively. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on: (i) progress in the adoption and implementation of the wage policy for public employees; (ii) the progress achieved in the formulation of the overall national wage policy; (iii) the specific training and awareness-raising activities carried out on the wage policy; and (iv) the available statistical data on the impact of the minimum wage on the reduction of wage gaps between the sexes as a result of the Decree of 30 May 2025.

Article 2(2)(c). Collective agreements. The Committee notes the collective agreement attached to the Government’s report. It notes that it does not contain clauses making specific reference to the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value and the principle of the objective appraisal of jobs for the setting of wage scales. Within the framework of the formulation of a national wage policy, the Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures, in cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations, to ensure that collective agreements take explicitly into account the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value, as well as clauses setting out measures for the application of this principle. The Committee requests the Government to provide examples of any collective agreements that include clauses on equal remuneration for men and women.

Article 3. Objective job evaluation. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the process of the establishment of a new job classification is under way and that information on the method and criteria used to determine the new classification of jobs will be provided in the next report. In this regard, the Committee wishes to emphasize the importance of ensuring that the criteria and methods used for the determination of the various classifications and scales for jobs are objective and devoid of any sexist prejudices. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the progress achieved in the process of the establishment of a new job classification.

Conventions Nos 100 and 111 – Application in practice

Enforcement. Convention No. 111. Public service. The Government emphasizes that the work of gender focal points in all administrative departments and the awareness-raising campaign on violence and harassment in the world of work, launched on 29 January 2025 in collaboration with the Belgian Agency for Development Cooperation (Enabel), are continuing at the local level. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether there is a follow-up or evaluation mechanism to measure the impact of the activities carried out by the gender focal points and the current awareness-raising campaign. It also requests the Government to provide any information available on the number of cases of discrimination on the basis of sex that have been reported or detected, including in particular cases of sexual harassment, and the outcome of the respective procedures.

Statistical data. Noting that the Government has not provided the information requested previously, the Committee therefore requests it once again to take the necessary measures to collect and compile data disaggregated by sex on the labour market participation of men and women and their respective earnings, where possible by occupational category and/or sector of economic activity, with a view to determining whether there are wage gaps between men and women.