A/HRC/44/55 Belarus are subjected to various forms of discrimination in the employment sphere. 62 Even though the gender pay gap decreased to 24 per cent in 2019, compared with 25 per cent in 2017, it continued to be high. 63 This is because women are traditionally overrepresented in such sectors as social security, catering, and culture and arts, which offer lower wages than sectors such as science, technology and engineering, which are predominantly occupied by men. According to available data, Belarusian women are most often discriminated against when applying for a job. The most vulnerable categories are childless women under 35 years old, including both married and single women; women with children under the age of 10; and women on maternity leave.64 67. Moreover, in Belarus women are discriminated in terms of access to certain sectors of employment.65 The State List of heavy work and work with harmful and/or hazardous working conditions prohibits the recruitment of women 66 in 181 professions that are considered unsuitable. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the shortening of the list from the previous 252 positions. However, she remains concerned that the existence of the list is justified as a measure to protect women’s reproductive and maternal health. This argument de facto restricts the access of all women, including non-pregnant and non-breastfeeding women, as well as transgender women, to specific job opportunities. 67 Certain types of work schedules – including nighttime and overtime work, work on public holidays and weekends, and business trips – are also either prohibited or restricted for some categories of women. During its last review of Belarus, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women expressed concern about persistent discrimination against women in employment and about the Labour Code, which included a list of a significant number of professions prohibited to women. The Committee recommended that Belarus review the list and ensure that it covered only those restrictions that were absolutely necessary for the protection of maternity in the strict sense. 68 Implementation of this recommendation by Belarus is still pending. 68. The Special Rapporteur is particularly concerned about access of women to employment opportunities in rural areas. Owing to a lack of job opportunities, the predominance of low-paid jobs and limited accessibility of preschool education, women are frequently forced to stay at home to take care of children and the household. The Special Rapporteur notes that discrimination against women in terms of their access to the labour market has a negative impact on their economic independence and resilience. Gender equality, in particular the empowerment of women, closing the gender gap and creating a more equal society, is central to implementing Agenda 2030 and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Persons with disabilities 69. In terms of access to employment for persons with disabilities, the Special Rapporteur welcomes the development of the draft law on the rights of persons with disabilities and their social integration.69 The draft law includes education and labour rights for persons with disabilities that could strengthen protection of this vulnerable group in the employment sphere, in line with the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, ratified by Belarus in 2016. 70. Nonetheless, the Special Rapporteur is concerned about remaining barriers to employability of persons with disabilities, including through structurally discriminatory practices and a lack of inclusive and accessible working environments. Reportedly, only 20 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 14 See https://genderperspectives.by/images/PolNePotolok/_----.pdf (in Russian). Alex Kremer, “Has Belarus really succeeded in pursuing gender equality?”, 7 August 2018. Available at https://blogs.worldbank.org/europeandcentralasia/has-belarus-really-succeeded-pursuing-genderequality. See https://genderperspectives.by/images/PolNePotolok/_----.pdf (in Russian). See https://nash-dom.info/52952 (in Russian). See https://mshp.gov.by/ohrana/ff7555d0abe25acf.html (in Russian). See www.eeprava.by/document/spisok-zapreschennyh-professij/ (in Russian). CEDAW/C/BLR/CO/8, paras. 32–33. See http://pravo.by/document/?guid=3941&p0=2019087001 (in Russian).