TNAG-2808-FCO40-4053-Future-of-Hong-Kong-International-Rights-and-Obligations-(IR-1994 — Page 68

(10)

In Canada,

the Canadian Human Rights Act outlaws discrimination in employment and in the delivery of services on ten grounds, including sex. It applies to federal government departments, crown corporations and the federally-regulated private sector.

that

those

There is also the

Employment Equity Act, the purpose of which is to ensure

groups traditionally disadvantaged in employment, e.g. women, achieve equality in the workplace. This Act applies to federally-regulated employers.

(11)

In Asia, Japan and Korea have laws dealing with

equal employment opportunities and treatment generally. The Japanese Equal Employment Opportunity Law requires employers to make efforts to realise the principle of equality. On the other hand, the Korean Gender Equal

Employment Law imposes penalties on employers who violate provisions like equal pay for equal work. Both Japan and

set up some form of Equal Opportunity Mediation

Commission to carry out conciliation and mediation

functions. Mediation is conducted on a voluntary basis

Korea have

where both parties agree to do so.

(12)

The effectiveness or otherwise of the various

measures adopted by states parties in implementing CEDAW has been the subject of some debate. In Japan, while some

moderate changes have been brought about by the Equal

Employment Opportunity Law enacted in 1986 (e.g. employment

advertisements that specify "men only" are not as common as

before), the legal obligations have not generally been

Without sanctions for non-compliance, much

depends on the goodwill of the employers. In Korea, sex segregation in employment and discrimination practices still prevail despite the promulgation of the Gender Equal

Employment Law in 1987.

fulfilled.

(13)

In

the UK,

while the

narrowing of pay

differentials between men and women in the 1970s may be

attributed to the 1970

Equal

Pay Act, women continue to