More than 25% of journalists do not receive a monthly salary, 42% earn below the national minimum wage, just 8% receive medical benefits and almost half of all journalists are not registered with the National Social Security Insurance Trust, denying them rights and benefits they are entitled to by law, according to the recently released Media Reform Coordinating Group report, Welfare of Journalists in Sierra Leone.
The IFJ and SLAJ accuse media employers in Sierra Leone of creating a welfare crisis for the country's journalists.
The President of the SLAJ Alhaji Manika Kamara said: "The findings of this report confirm what many journalists in Sierra Leone have been experiencing for years: a deepening welfare crisis that threatens not only livelihoods but also the independence and credibility of our media. When journalists are underpaid, unpaid, or denied basic legal protections such as social security and medical benefits, media freedom itself is weakened. SLAJ will not treat this as a routine complaint; it is a structural issue that requires urgent enforcement of labour laws, responsible media ownership, and stronger collective action within the sector. We welcome the support of the IFJ and reaffirm our commitment to working with the SLRU and other partners to ensure that journalists are treated with dignity, fairness, and in accordance with the law."
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IFJ General Secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "The unlawful and abusive treatment of journalists in Siera Leone must stop. Too many media employers are allowed to get away with breaking the law and leaving journalists in poverty. The authorities must take stronger action to enforce the law and ensure journalists are fairly compensated and receive as a minimum their legal entitlements. Failure to do so risks undermining media freedom and professionalism".
The IFJ has pledged to work with SLAJ and the SLRU to promote collective bargaining in the media sector, raise awareness among journalists of their rights and to consider strategic litigation where there is a lack of enforcement of existing rights.
"We will support the move by journalists in Sierra Leone to improve the rights of journalists, mobilizing support for campaigns, training and advocacy to address the welfare crisis engulfing the country's media sector," Bellanger added.
The IFJ and SLAJ are part of the Empowerment for Democracy, Inclusion and Accountability (MEDIA) project, led by the BBC Media Action. The IFJ will conduct a mission to Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital, in June. The mission will include meetings with government representatives and key officials to advocate for the enforcement of labour laws affecting media professionals. It will also aim to support the SLAJ in advancing its demands for the proper implementation of labour protections for journalists in Sierra Leone
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