The issue of women being underpaid by employers in breach of prior agreement was one of several issues which the Women and Gender Equality Commission (WGEC) will be examining in the near future.
According to a release from Chairperson, Indranie Chanderpal, at its first statutory meeting held on Wednesday last, commissioners were encouraged to peruse documents such as the CEDAW Convention, the Beijing Platform for Action as well as the Belem Do Para Convention, all of which form part of the work being done to advance the progress of women globally.
The release stated that while the CEDAW Convention speaks of compliance, the Beijing Platform provides a comprehensive framework in a number of critical areas of concern to women, and the non-compliance by some employers who underpay women even though they had entered into an agreement to provide a higher wage was one of the concerns the body plans to examine.
The agenda of Wednesday’s meeting included an orientation on the mandate outlined by the constitution and Commissioners were encouraged to be conversant with it in order to interpret and give effect to the measures outlined.
At the meeting, the release stated, members discussed the need for preparing women for leadership positions while reference was made to the 1/3 quota on the Party List for election purposes. Members of the commission were of the opinion that the Commission has the responsibility to further advance the mechanisms to ensure that women who are placed on party lists are also provided with an opportunity to be placed in positions as well. At the same time, members were reminded that this must also be done for Amerindian communities where councils are elected.
The modus operandi as well as statutory and other meetings of the commission was discussed at the forum as well as a plan of action for the rest of the year.
The release noted that members of the commission acknowledged the need to work collectively for the promotion, protection and advancement of women in all aspects of development.