grants. The Government is now working to ensure speedy and effective implementation of the Act and is confident that substantial progress will be made towards the eradication of religious discrimination in employment in Northern Ireland.
Article 3
Sex discrimination
51. The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 makes discrimination in Great Britain on grounds of sex unlawful in the fields of employment, education and training, the provision of goods, facilities and services, and in the disposal and management of premises. The Act is supported by extensive enforcement provisions. Anyone who considers that she or he has been the victim of unlawful discrimination has a right of direct access to the courts or an industrial tribunal. The Equal Pay Act 1970 gave a woman the right to pay and conditions equal to those of a man working for the same or an associated employer when they were doing like work, work rated as equivalent or work of equal value in terms of effort.
52. The Equal Opportunities Commission, which was set up under the 1975 Act, has enforcement powers and may give assistance to a complainant by giving advice, seeking a settlement or arranging for legal advice or representation before a court or tribunal. In Northern Ireland, the Sex Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Orders 1976 and 1988, and the Equal Pay (Northern Ireland) Act 1970, contain provisions on almost identical lines to those of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and the Equal Pay Act 1970 which apply in Great Britain. The 1976 Order established an Equal Opportunities Commission to enforce the legislation and to promote equality of opportunity between the sexes generally. The Commissions also have a general responsibility for advising government departments on the working of the Act and Orders and they are also a principal source of information and advice for the general public about these provisions.
53. In addition to their roles in the enforcement of the law, the Commissions do promotional and educational work, providing advice to employers and employees, to trade unions and professional bodies and to central and local government.
The
54. The United Kingdom ratified the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on 7 April 1986. initial report was presented in May 1987 and the United Kingdom is expected to be examined on it in January/February 1990. On the position of women in public life, see under article 25 below.
Immigration control
55. Since the United Kingdom's second periodic report, and following the judgement of the European Court of Human Rights in the Abdulaziz case, a number of discriminatory provisions in the immigration control regulations have been removed. In particular:
(a) An amendment to the Immigration Rules in August 1985 extended to all women settled in the United Kingdom the opportunity, already available to their male counterparts, to be joined by their spouse or fiancé from abroad. Previously this had been open to women only if they were British citizens;