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

Solomon Islands

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) (Ratification: 2012)
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) (Ratification: 2012)

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

Articles 1, 2 and 3(b). Anti-discrimination legislation. Further to its previous comments regarding the absence of a comprehensive anti-discrimination legal framework, the Committee notes the Government’s indication in its report that the Committee’s comments would be considered and included in the ongoing labour law review. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the results of the legislative review, in particular regarding any follow-up to its previous request that a comprehensive anti-discrimination legal framework be introduced, with a clear definition and an explicit prohibition of direct and indirect discrimination applicable to all workers in the public and private sectors covering all aspects of employment and occupation and at least all of the grounds of discrimination listed in Article 1(1)(a) of Convention No. 111, namely race, colour, sex, religion, political opinion, national extraction and social origin, as well as any other grounds determined in consultation with employers’ and workers’ organizations, in accordance with Article 1(1)(b) of the Convention.

Sexual harassment. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to: (i) consider including in the labour legislation a clear definition and prohibition of sexual harassment as well as preventive measures and provisions on remedies; and (ii) provide specific information on any practical measures taken or envisaged to prevent and address sexual harassment against both men and women workers. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that: (i) the Committee’s comments had been taken into consideration in the ongoing labour law review; and (ii) any sexual offence cases reported by any workplace would be referred to the relevant authorities for investigation and prosecution. The Committee also notes from the concluding observations adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW, July 2025) that protection from sexual harassment for public servants had been introduced through 2018 amendment to the Public Service Act (PSA). The Committee requests the Government to provide a copy of the 2018 amendment to the PSA; and information on: (i) any measures taken in the context of the labour law review to provide protection against sexual harassment in the private sector, including a clear definition and prohibition of sexual harassment in employment and occupation as well provisions on remedies; (ii) the number of cases of sexual harassment in the workplace reported to the relevant authorities; and (iii) the impact of the measures adopted in the public sector to protect workers from sexual harassment.

Article 5. Special measures. Further to its previous comments regarding legal restrictions on women’s employment in the Labour Act (sections 39, 40 and 80(1)(f)) and the need to ensure that, if they so wish, women are able to access employment on an equal footing with men, and that any limitations or restrictions applying to women’s employment are strictly limited to maternity protection, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that necessary actions would be taken to ensure equal treatment between men and women in this regard. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this regard.

Articles 1 to 3. National policy for equality of opportunity and treatment. Further to its previous request for information on measures taken to address actively discrimination and to promote equality in education, training, employment and occupation without distinction, the Committee notes the information provided by the Government, including measures to improve equal access to education (increased number of secondary schools; scholarships for tertiary students and for vocational education), training (increased training opportunities) and employment (Community Access and Urban Enhancement Project – CAUSE). Regarding its previous comments on the application of article 15(5)(f) of the Constitution, the Committee notes that the Government refers to a constitutional reform which would cover equality and non-discrimination provisions. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in the constitutional reform and how it would impact equality and non-discrimination.

Gender equality. In its previous comments, the Committee requested the Government to provide information on the steps taken to implement the National Strategy on the Economic Empowerment of Women and Girls (NSEEWG) 2020–2023, and the results achieved, with respect to: (i) improving women’s access to paid employment and self-employment; (ii) addressing unpaid care work and reconciling work and family responsibilities that fall mainly on women; and (iii) addressing gender stereotypes and prejudice concerning the aspirations, abilities and suitability for certain jobs of girls and women, in particular in vocational guidance and training. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to the National Human Resources Development & Training Plan (NHRDTP) which prioritizes actions to increase women’s education, training, and employment participation, prioritizing women’s participation in skills learning. The Committee also notes that in its report on the national-level review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, 1995 (Beijing+30 national report), the Government refers to the National Gender Equality and Women’s Development (GEWD) Policy 2021–2027 as the overarching framework for achieving gender equality and women’s rights in Solomon Islands, and to the following gender-specific subsidiary policies: the Ending violence against women and girls Policy 2021–2027; the NSEEWG 2020–2023; the Women Peace and Security National Action Plan 2017–2020; and the Affirmative Action Strategy 2022–2027 – Accelerating Women’s prospects and pathways to leadership, decision-making and governance. Regarding its previous request for statistics on the participation of women and men in the public and private sectors, the Committee notes information from the 2019 census that: (i) the labour force participation rate among working-age Solomon Islanders (defined as people aged 12 years and older, with 51 per cent men and 49 per cent women) was 55 per cent (of which 54 per cent men and 46 per cent women); and (ii) women were overrepresented in the unpaid care and domestic work (44 per cent men and 56 per cent women) and in the informal economy (74 per cent of employed women and 58 per cent of employed men). The Committee requests the Government to provide information on concrete measures taken in pursuance of the policies mentioned in its report to achieve better equality for women in all aspects of employment, and on the impact on such measures.

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

Articles 1 to 4. Gender pay gap. Further to its previous request on the need for data to support a gender pay gap assessment, the Committee notes the Government indication in its report that it was in the process of: (i) securing funds to conduct a labour force survey, with technical assistance from the ILO; and (ii) conducting a survey of the legal minimum wage. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on progress made in this regard.

Articles 1 to 3. Principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value. Objective job evaluation methods. Further to its previous request on the need to give full legislative expression to the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value and to promote the use of objective job evaluation methods free from gender bias to fully implement that principle, the Committee notes that the Government refers to the ongoing labour law reform and implementation of the above-mentioned strategies. The Committee requests the Government to ensure that its previous comments on this matter are fully taken into account in the labour law reform and to provide information on progress made in this regard.

Article 2. Wage-fixing mechanisms. Further to its previous request, the Committee notes that Government’s indication that the reason for a differentiated minimum wage rate applying to those employed in the fishing and agricultural sectors is that accommodation is provided for free by employers in these sectors.

Conventions Nos 100 and 111 – Application in practice

Article 4 of Convention No. 100 and Article 3(a) of Convention No. 111. Co-operation with workers’ and employers’ organizations. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that the Government refers to the Labour Advisory Board (LAB), the national tripartite advisory body for employment-related matters. It requests the Government to provide information on the LAB’s activity in the field of equality and non-discrimination.

Enforcement. Further to its previous request, the Committee notes the Government’s indication that non-compliance detected by the labour inspectorate would be settled through mediation and negotiation. It requests the Government to indicate whether any cases have been dealt with that concerned issues of discrimination in employment; and whether any such cases have been addressed by the courts.