By: Audrey Raymonda John
The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, and tripartite partners-the Sierra Leone Labour Congress and the Sierra Leone Employers’ Federation, in collaboration with the International Labour Organization (ILO), recently concluded a two-day capacity training on International Labour Standards.
The training focused specifically on reporting ratified ILO Conventions, a key aspect of Sierra Leone’s commitment to upholding global labour practices.
Speaking at the opening event, the Minister of Labour, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, highlighted the recognition Sierra Leone received during the 112th session of the ILO, where the Director-General applauded the country for being a “model for tripartitism.”
Minister Swaray expressed pride in Sierra Leone’s responsible membership in the ILO since 1961 and reiterated the country’s commitment to fulfilling its obligations under Article 19 of the ILO Constitution.
He emphasized, “Our efforts to uphold international labour standards are not just for compliance, but to ensure that every worker in Sierra Leone is treated fairly and justly.”
He explained that out of 45 ratified Conventions and Protocols, 32 remain in force, with plans underway to ratify additional key Conventions such as the Employment Policy Convention No. 122 and the Maternity Protection Convention 2000 No. 183.
ILO’s Chief Technical Adviser for the Opportunity Salone Programme, Tonderai Manoto, praised Sierra Leone for its commitment to social dialogue and tripartitism, which are vital components of the ILO’s decent work agenda.
He commended the government for consistently meeting its ILO reporting obligations, despite ongoing challenges.
The Sierra Leone Labour Congress and the Sierra Leone Employers’ Federation also expressed their appreciation for the government’s dedication to these obligations. They called for further support to help the Ministry popularize the recently reviewed Labour Laws and to ensure that the Ministry’s presence is felt across the country.
This year, Sierra Leone reported on eight ratified ILO Conventions, demonstrating its ongoing dedication to maintaining international labour standards:
1. Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100) ensures equal pay for men and women for work of equal value
2. Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) Aims to eliminate discrimination in employment and occupation
3. Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) Provides guidelines for the collection and publication of labour statistics
4. Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No. 102) Establishes minimum standards for social security systems
5. Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006) Sets out seafarers’ rights to decent conditions of work
6. Fishermen’s Competency Certificates Convention, 1966 (No. 125) Establishes standards for the certification of competence for fishermen
7. Accommodation of Crews (Fishermen) Convention, 1966 (No. 126) Specifies minimum standards for the accommodation of fishing vessel crews
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Protection Against Accidents (Dockers) Convention, 1932 (Revised) (No. 32) Provides for the protection of dockers against accidents.
