MONROVIA — A national policy dialogue under the Mapping of the Labour Law Project has called urgently for Liberia to improve legal protections for its large informal workforce, highlighting significant gaps in rights awareness, enforcement, and social protections.
The initiative, led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), is part of a broader review of Liberia's labor laws and the daily realities faced by informal workers, who make up a large part of the country's workforce but largely lack access to formal employment protections.
Speaking at the end of the three-day forum on November 14, OHCHR Human Rights Officer Leetor Williams stated that the project started with an assessment of national, regional, and international labor laws, followed by a pilot study in Grand Cape Mount County involving 108 community members.
Williams observed that the assessment uncovered widespread gaps, such as limited awareness of rights, persistent security issues, and severe socio-economic struggles faced by workers without contracts or legal protections. She also mentioned that the policy discussion marked the first chance for workers and stakeholders to address these issues together.
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"With the dialogue completed, the project now moves into a strategic advocacy phase," she said. "Next steps include engaging government ministries and partners, developing practical advocacy tools, and building participants' capacity to push for reform."
Williams emphasized that the main goal of the project is to help the Government of Liberia provide genuine protections for informal workers. Participants highlighted weak enforcement of the Decent Work Act and the limited coverage of minimum wage rules, which only apply to domestic and casual laborers.
Another major concern, she said, is the near absence of formal employment contracts. "Without written agreements, informal workers face chronic job insecurity, arbitrary dismissals, and lack enforceable mechanisms for redress," Williams explained.
Representing the Ministry of Labour, Jourran M. Lighe-Kanneh, director of regional labor affairs, praised the outcome document and urged active use of it to guide policy implementation.
"We are hopeful this will not be a document placed on a shelf, but rather a tool actively used for the social protection of workers in the informal sector," he said. He reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to strengthening protections for marginalized workers relying on the informal economy.
"As the ministry representing workers across Liberia, we remain committed, alongside our partners, to establishing regulations that will safeguard those operating within the informal economy."
Elsie Richardson, a conflict resolution specialist at the Ministry of Justice, thanked OHCHR for hosting the workshop, calling it timely and essential. Speaking on behalf of Justice Minister Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, she urged participants to share their knowledge with colleagues in their communities.
Richardson emphasized that many informal workers are unaware of their rights, posing a challenge that calls for collective learning and outreach. She reaffirmed the ministry's commitment to gradually transitioning informal workers into the formal sector.
"The Ministry of Justice remains committed to ensuring that informal workers are progressively transitioned into the formal sector, where all can enjoy equal rights and opportunities," she stated.
Bibiana Blay, acting press director at the Liberian Senate, described the training as eye-opening, noting that most participants learned important information they had not known before. She vowed to share the insights with colleagues to increase awareness.
Representing the informal sector, Ruth M. Seward, vice president for administration of the Federation of Road Transport Union of Liberia, thanked the OHCHR, Human Rights Commission, UNHCR, Liberia Labour Congress, and others for their support.
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She said the workshop was an important step forward for a sector long burdened by unsafe working conditions and a lack of social protection. "Despite the many challenges faced in our sector, this workshop marks an important beginning," Seward said. "We now understand better how to address these challenges."
The three-day stakeholder engagement brought together representatives from the Ministries of Labor, Justice, Gender, the Legislature, the Liberia Labour Congress, informal workers' groups, and civil society organizations.
The discussions are expected to shape upcoming advocacy efforts aimed at securing stronger legal protections, improved enforcement, and greater accountability for the millions of Liberians who rely on informal work to survive.
