ATTORNEY-AT-LAW Margarette Macaulay wants a 1942 legislation prohibiting women, except for those employed in the essential services, from working at nights, to be repealed.

She said the age-old law was discriminatory and also breached international convention.

Addressing a joint select committee of Parliament delibera-ting on proposed flexible work arrangements on Wednesday, a strident Macaulay told legislators that the Women (Employment Of) Act of 1942 should have been revoked many years ago.

She said the country was party to the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which was ratified by Jamaica in 1985.

Based on the convention, said Macaulay, Jamaica was obliged to withdraw the statute.

Committee chairman Pearnel Charles said he found it interesting that protection was now being construed as discrimination.

"Those laws were prepared to protect our women from being exploited at work in the nights," Charles argued.

But Macaulay insisted that the legislation was imposed on women.

edmond.campbell@gleanerjm.com