an Eldis Resource

This report assesses the observance of internationally recognised core labour standards in Sierra Leone. Altogether Sierra Leone has ratified six of the eight core ILO labour Conventions as follows:

• the ILO Convention on collective bargaining and the Convention on freedom of association. Some legal restrictions and limitations exist with regard to freedom of association, collective bargaining and the right to strike
• the core ILO Convention on Equal Remuneration and the Convention on Discrimination. Discrimination in employment and remuneration is a serious problem in Sierra Leone and participation of women in the formal economy is low
• both Conventions on Forced Labour. Forced labour is prohibited, but there are serious problems with forced labour in Sierra Leone - many women and children are engaged in forced labour in the mining sector, and forced labour exists in rural areas under customary law; and trafficking of women and children for forced labour and forced prostitution also occurs
• Sierra Leone has not ratified the ILO core Convention on the Worst Forms of Child Labour or the Convention on Minimum Age. Child labour is widespread in Sierra Leone, both in rural and in urban areas, and school attendance is low; child labour includes the worst forms of child labour such as child prostitution, mining, domestic work and begging.

The paper subsequently makes a number of recommendations:

• legal restrictions and limitations on the right to organise, the right to collective bargaining and the right to strike should be brought in line with the Conventions No. 87 and No. 98.
• the trade union request for revision of labour legislation with a view to modernisation should be taken up
• the government should formulate a national policy on discrimination, in consultation with the tripartite Joint Consultative Committee
• the government has to ensure that general law prevails effectively over discriminatory customary law
• serious efforts have to be made to increase the literacy level of women and to increase school attendance of girls at all levels, including the secondary and tertiary level
• the government should ratify and implement Convention No. 138 on Minimum Age and Convention No. 182 on the Worst Forms of Child Labour
• determined efforts have to be made to end the trafficking of women and children for the purpose of sexual exploitation and forced mining, and to stop the recruitment of child soldiers for conflicts in neighbouring countries.

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