IV. GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS ADOPTED BY
THE COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION OF
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST WOMEN
Tenth session (1991)*
General recommendation No. 16: Unpaid women workers
in rural and urban family enterprises
The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,
Bearing in mind articles 2 (c) and 11 (c), (d) and (e) of the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and general recommendation No. 9
(Eighth session, 1989) on statistical data concerning the situation of women,
Taking into consideration that a high percentage of women in the States parties work
without payment, social security and social benefits in enterprises owned usually by a male
member of the family,
Noting that the reports presented to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women generally do not refer to the problem of unpaid women workers of family
enterprises,
Affirming that unpaid work constitutes a form of women’s exploitation that is contrary to
the Convention,
Recommends that States parties:
(a) Include in their reports to the Committee information on the legal and social situation
of unpaid women working in family enterprises;
(b) Collect statistical data on women who work without payment, social security and
social benefits in enterprises owned by a family member, and include these data in their report to
the Committee;
(c) Take the necessary steps to guarantee payment, social security and social benefits for
women who work without such benefits in enterprises owned by a family member.
*
Contained in document A/46/38.