The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), in collaboration with the Government of Liberia and the Federation of Informal Sector Workers of Liberia (FISWOL), has launched two major assessment reports examining the conditions of workers in Liberia's informal economy.
The reports comprise a legal analysis titled "Legal Analysis of Liberia's Labour Laws and Their Application to Workers in the Informal Economy" and an assessment of working conditions, economic dynamics, awareness levels, and the impact of labour laws in Grand Cape Mount County. An accompanying advocacy brief on the protection of informal sector workers was also released to translate findings into policy action.
The assessments were developed through a multi-stakeholder process involving the Ministry of Labour, the Independent National Commission on Human Rights (INCHR), the Ministry of Justice, civil society organizations, and workers themselves, who contributed firsthand accounts of their experiences and challenges.
The initiative also supports the implementation of Liberia's National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights (NAPBHR), which seeks to address human rights risks in informal sectors and supply chains while recognizing informal workers as rights-holders and strengthening accountability mechanisms.
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Liberia's informal economy remains the country's largest employment sector, engaging an estimated 68 percent of the workforce and contributing significantly to national economic activity. It spans market trading, transport services, domestic work, small-scale agriculture, artisanal production, and other income-generating activities.
Despite its importance, the sector continues to face major challenges, including unsafe working conditions, income insecurity, weak labour protections, limited access to social protection, and barriers to justice. Women, young people, and children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.
The legal analysis acknowledges progress in Liberia's labour rights framework, including the enactment of the Decent Work Act of 2015, ratification of 27 International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions, and integration of labour priorities into national development plans. However, it highlights a persistent gap between legal commitments and real-world implementation.
According to the report, labour laws--while formally applicable to all workers--remain largely designed around formal employment relationships, leaving informal workers insufficiently protected in key areas such as occupational safety and health, job security, collective bargaining, social security, and access to remedies.
Findings from the Grand Cape Mount County assessment reveal significant awareness gaps, with more than 72 percent of workers reporting little or no knowledge of labour laws, while over 81 percent said they had never received training or information on their rights and entitlements.
Institutional weaknesses were also identified, including limited labour inspection capacity and the absence of dedicated structures within the Ministry of Labour to address informal sector issues, undermining enforcement and monitoring mechanisms.
Speaking at the launch, OHCHR Representative Mr. Christian Mukosa stressed the urgency of protecting informal workers, describing them as central to Liberia's development.
"Workers in the informal economy are indispensable to Liberia's development and prosperity. Yet many continue to face significant obstacles in accessing labour protections, social security, and effective remedies when their rights are violated," Mukosa said. "These reports provide critical evidence and practical recommendations to support reforms that ensure no worker is left behind."
He added that informal workers contribute significantly to national development and are entitled to full enjoyment of their human rights without discrimination, stressing the need to ensure dignity, protection, and equal access to justice.
Mukosa reaffirmed OHCHR's commitment to supporting Liberia in building an inclusive and rights-based labour system that protects all workers regardless of employment status.
Speaking on behalf of FISWOL, President Elvis A. Tamba outlined the federation's formation, noting that it emerged from multi-stakeholder engagements hosted by the Human Rights Commission in November 2025. Informal workers subsequently organized under the Liberia Labour Congress before formally establishing FISWOL.
He said the federation has since registered with the Government of Liberia, adopted a constitution, submitted its governing documents to the Ministry of Labour, engaged international partners including the International Labour Organization (ILO), and presented a five-year strategic plan to development partners. FISWOL currently represents 22 organizations, unions, and affiliated associations across the informal sector.
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Representing the Ministry of Justice, Assistant Minister for Administration and Public Safety Atty. Edrick F. Noah described the reports as timely and aligned with Liberia's National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.
"These reports are timely and significant as they contribute directly to the implementation of Liberia's National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights by highlighting the realities and challenges faced by workers in the informal economy," Noah said.
He reaffirmed government commitment to protecting labour rights and emphasized that access to justice remains a core pillar of inclusion and equality, adding that the Ministry is prepared to support fair resolution of labour-related disputes.
The reports recommend urgent reforms to strengthen legal recognition of informal workers, expand social protection including health insurance and pensions, improve occupational safety standards, promote gender-responsive labour policies, and create pathways toward economic formalization.
