By Joseph Momoh, Daily Scope Reporter
The Sierra Leone Labour Congress (SLLC), in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Domestic Workers Union (SLeDoWU) and international partners, has commenced a three-day workshop focused on enhancing protections for domestic and migrant workers through the comprehensive implementation of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 189.
Held at the Family Kingdom Resort in Freetown, the workshop, titled “ILO Convention 189 and Decent Work for Migrant Domestic Workers: Moving the Agenda Forward,” gathers government officials, labor organizations, employers, and development partners to address critical gaps in the enforcement of labor standards.
Adopted in 2011, ILO Convention 189 establishes global benchmarks to ensure fair wages, safe working conditions, and social protections for domestic workers—an often marginalized group in national labor legislation. The convention is especially vital for migrant domestic workers, who are frequently subjected to heightened risks of exploitation and discrimination.
This initiative is part of the EU-funded Support to Free Movement of Persons and Migration in West Africa project, which is set to continue until 2029 under the auspices of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the ILO, and the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), in coordination with the ECOWAS Commission.
Emilio Rossetti, Deputy Head of the European Union Delegation in Sierra Leone, highlighted the gap between ratification and enforcement of the convention. “Domestic work is legitimate work that deserves dignity, fair treatment, and legal protection,” he stated.
ILO Officer-in-Charge Tonderai Manoto reported that globally, over 76 million individuals are engaged as domestic workers, yet many remain underpaid and lack access to social protection. He called on Sierra Leone and its allies to ensure decent wages and safer working environments.
Dr. Alves D’Almaola, ECOWAS Head of Social Affairs, commended Sierra Leone and Guinea for being the only West African nations to ratify the convention, noting its potential to address issues of unfair wages, discrimination, and xenophobia.
Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swarray, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to this cause, emphasizing that domestic workers contribute significantly to both the economic and cultural fabric of the nation. “Our laws must protect them equally,” he affirmed, recalling that Sierra Leone domesticated Convention 189 in 2021.
Additional speakers, including Albert Oju Collier from the Sierra Leone Employers Federation, Emmanuel D. Pratt from the Labour Congress, and Alma Heroe from SLeDoWU, stressed the importance of enhanced advocacy, policy dialogue, and capacity building for unions.
The workshop aims to formulate national action plans to better protect domestic workers and foster collaboration among government institutions, employers, labor unions, and international partners. By advancing the implementation of ILO Convention 189, the government seeks to strengthen labor rights and establish a regional benchmark for the safeguarding of domestic and migrant workers.
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