Lack of awareness of women workers’ rights has increasingly been recognized as a constraint in the effective use of standards. Dissemination of information about these rights is, therefore, a vital instrument for improving the status of women in society. While ILO instruments are applicable to both women and men, there are a number which are of specific interest for women workers and they are included in this useful reference.
This guide provides the text of some of the key Conventions for promoting gender equality in the world of work such as the Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No.111), one of the most comprehensive and dedicated instruments on the subject, and the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) which specifically addresses the issue of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. In addition, the guide includes the Workers with Family Responsibilities Convention, 1981 (No. 156), and the Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No. 183). Other Conventions with particular implications for gender equality include those on employment promotion, working conditions, and migrant works.