AYV News, July 8, 2026
The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), has commenced a three-day capacity-building workshop aimed at preparing Sierra Leone for the ratification of six priority ILO conventions and the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
Opening the workshop, the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Hon. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, described the engagement as a significant milestone in Sierra Leone’s labour reform agenda. He said the workshop reflects the Government’s commitment to aligning national labour laws and policies with international labour standards while advancing the objectives of the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030) and Sustainable Development Goal 8 on decent work and economic growth.
The Minister noted that since joining the ILO in 1961, Sierra Leone has ratified 45 ILO conventions, including all ten fundamental conventions, two governance conventions and 33 technical conventions. Of these, 32 remain in force, while four have been denounced and nine have been abrogated.
He explained that the conventions under consideration address critical issues such as occupational safety and health, maternity protection, workplace violence and harassment, chemical safety, biological hazards, and the protection of migrant workers.
According to him, their ratification will strengthen the country’s labour laws, improve workplace conditions, enhance productivity and reinforce Sierra Leone’s commitment to decent work.
He further stressed that ratification alone is insufficient, emphasizing the need for prompt domestication, effective implementation, continuous monitoring and sustained social dialogue to ensure the conventions have practical impact.
He also announced that the Ministry, in partnership with the ILO, will convene the Decent Work Country Programme Committee meeting from 9–11 July 2026 to review progress, assess challenges, strengthen tripartite collaboration and agree on priority actions for advancing decent work in Sierra Leone.
Representing the ILO Country Director, ChinyereEmeka-Anuna commended the Government of Sierra Leone for demonstrating strong political commitment to international labour standards and social justice.
She said the workshop focuses on six priority ILO conventions: Convention No. 170 on Chemicals, Convention No. 174 on the Prevention of Major Industrial Accidents, Convention No. 184 on Safety and Health in Agriculture, Convention No. 183 on Maternity Protection, Convention No. 190 on Violence and Harassment in the World of Work, and Convention No. 192 on Biological Hazards in the Working Environment.
The workshop is also examining the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.
Emeka-Anuna highlighted Conventions 183 and 190 as particularly transformative, noting that their ratification would strengthen gender equality, protect workers from discrimination and violence, improve maternity protection and promote safer, more inclusive workplaces.
Speaking on behalf of the Sierra Leone Employers’ Federation (SLEF), Project Officer Yvette Kargbo said the conventions promote safer workplaces, increased productivity and stronger business resilience. She, however, emphasized that implementation should take into account the realities facing employers, particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, through practical policies, awareness creation and capacity-building initiatives.
Also addressing participants, Secretary-General of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, Marx Conteh, welcomed the initiative, noting that Sierra Leone has already incorporated many of the proposed standards into its national labour legislation. He urged the Government to expedite the passage of the remaining labour bills before Parliament to complete the country’s ongoing labour law reforms.
The workshop, which runs from 6–8 July 2026 in Freetown, brings together government officials, employers’ and workers’ organizations, development partners and labour experts to build consensus on the proposed ratifications and strengthen Sierra Leone’s labour governance framework.
