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and grant it the appropriate powers and resources to ensure its effectiveness and
independent functioning. The Committee also urges the State party to take further
steps to fight corruption, including by training law enforcement officers, prosecutors
and judges on the application of the anti-corruption legislation, organizing awarenessraising campaigns and ensuring the transparency of the conduct of public authorities.
8.
The Committee notes with concern that, despite the amendments to the Constitution
through article 31(bis) of Act No. 08-19 of 15 November 2008, the Family Code and the
Nationality Code, de jure and de facto inequalities continue to exist between men and
women, in particular, the persistence of stereotypes, attitudes and patriarchal traditions on
family and societal roles of men and women. It is also concerned by discrimination against
women (in particular regarding inheritance rights), lower representation of women in
decision-making and public positions and wages for women that are nearly a third of those
for men (art. 3).
The Committee recommends that the State party introduce further legislative
amendments to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women and adopt
temporary special measures aimed at increasing the representation of women in public
office and decision-making positions. The Committee also recommends that the State
party take measures to reduce the wage gap between men and women. The Committee
furthermore recommends that the State party increase its efforts to promote equality
between women and men at all levels of society, including efforts aimed at eliminating
stereotypical attitudes and traditional norms about the responsibilities and roles of
women and men in the family and society. It draws the attention of the State party to
general comment No. 16 on the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all
economic, social and cultural rights.
9.
The Committee, despite the general decrease in unemployment, notes with concern
the high level of unemployment among women (Office of National Statistics 2009 figure:
18.1 per cent) and younger Algerians (official figure: 75 per cent of the unemployed are
under 30 years old). The Committee also notes with concern that, in 2008, only 33.7 per
cent of the total workforce was in permanent, salaried employment and a significant
proportion of new jobs are home-based and of a temporary nature (art. 6).
The Committee recommends that the State party take effective measures to decrease
the unemployment rate among women and younger Algerians, including with
temporary special measures. The Committee emphasizes the importance of the
creation of stable employment opportunities for both groups in the implementation of
the 2008 Plan of Action for the Promotion of Employment. The Committee also
recommends that the State party establish a national mechanism to monitor the
implementation of the plan of action, and that numerical targets and a time frame for
its implementation be set. The Committee draws the attention of the State party to its
general comment No. 18 on the right to work.
10. The Committee notes with concern that the current minimum wage, as set by a
tripartite social pact in 2009, does not provide a decent standard of living for workers and
their families. The Committee is also concerned that the wage levels of public sector
employees, in particular in the health and education sectors, place many workers in a
precarious situation, often compounded by temporary contracts without maternity leave or
sick leave entitlements (art. 7).
The Committee recommends that the State party conduct an urgent review of the
current national minimum wage to determine its sufficiency and take the necessary
measures to ensure that it provides an adequate standard of living for workers and
their families. The Committee also recommends that the State party take immediate
steps to address the low wage levels of public sector employees and, in particular,
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