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

Côte d'Ivoire

Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) (Ratification: 1961)
Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) (Ratification: 1961)

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 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 employment and occupation

Articles 1(1)(a), (2) and (3)(b) of the Convention. Prohibited grounds for discrimination. Legislation. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes with satisfaction that section 17 of the newly adopted General Public Service Regulations (Act No. 2023-892 of 23 November 2023) prohibits any form of discrimination in access to the public service, career management and retirement, based on the grounds listed in Article 1(1)(a) of the Convention. It also notes that, in its report, the Government has taken note of its previous comments on the possibility of expressly adding the ground of colour to section 4 of the Labour Code, as well as a definition of direct and indirect discrimination, and that it has committed to examining these issues with the social partners. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this regard.

Articles 1 to 3. National policy on equality of opportunity and treatment. Occupational segregation on the basis of sex. Further to its previous comments on the need to combat gender stereotypes and occupational segregation, the Committee notes the statistics provided by the Government that show a low participation of women in the labour market (23.5 per cent compared to 76.5 per cent for men) and their over-representation in lower-skilled categories. In this regard, the Government refers to the structural and cultural causes of these inequalities, particularly women’s limited access to technical and vocational training and the disproportionate burden of domestic and family work on them. 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 policies and measures adopted to combat gender inequalities, including: (1) those aimed at strengthening equal access to education and vocational training, such as the reform of Women’s Education and Training Institutions (IFEF) in September 2023, with training extended to innovative occupations; (2) financial support initiatives for women’s entrepreneurship; and (3) the establishment of a Women and Media observatory in 2020 to increase the visibility of women in the media and media content. The Committee requests the Government to continue its efforts to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for men and women in employment and occupation (access to diverse training, combating gender stereotypes, etc.). It requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken in this regard and on the national strategy for gender equality and equity mentioned in its report.

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

Articles 1 to 4. Gender wage gap. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes the Government’s indication, that studies conducted by the technical services of the Ministry of Employment and Social Protection show that the gender wage gap is narrowing and will have fallen from 29 per cent in 2020 to 24 per cent in 2024. While welcoming this positive development, the Committee notes that the wage gap remains quite large and that it is therefore necessary for the Government to continue and strengthen its efforts to reduce gender inequalities. The Committee notes with interest the Government’s commitment to incorporating a wage transparency clause into public employment policies and incentives for enterprises. It also notes that the Government acknowledges the lack of institutional mechanisms for monitoring wage gaps in enterprises, particularly in the absence of gender-based wage audits. It requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken to remedy this shortcoming.

Articles 1 to 3. Application of the principle of equal remuneration. Further to its previous comments, the Committee notes that, the Government acknowledges the need to update the methods and criteria used to evaluate jobs in order to determine objective classifications based on the nature of the work, and that it refers in this regard to an ongoing project with ILO support. The Committee hopes that, with the technical support of the ILO, an objective job-evaluation method can be adopted and used in determining wages and thus contribute to the implementation of the principle of equal remuneration for work of equal value in practice. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on any progress made in this regard.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.