S/Leone Launches National Steering Committee on ILO Convention 189
By George M.O. Williams
The Government of Sierra Leone has officially launched the National Steering Committee (NSC) on the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 189, reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights of domestic workers and promoting decent work across the country.
The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Sierra Leone Labour Congress Hall on Wallace Johnson Street in Freetown during a ceremony attended by representatives of the ILO, government ministries, the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, the Sierra Leone Employers’ Federation, development partners, and other stakeholders.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Lansana Dumbuya, described domestic workers as one of the country’s most essential yet least protected categories of workers.
He noted that an estimated 76 million people worldwide are engaged in domestic work, representing 4.5 percent of the global workforce. Of this figure, 76 percent are women, while 81 percent work in the informal economy.
According to Dumbuya, domestic workers provide indispensable services, including cooking, cleaning, childcare, caring for older persons and performing other household responsibilities that sustain families and communities.
He said Sierra Leone has made significant progress in strengthening labour protection under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio, highlighted by the ratification of ILO Convention No. 189 in August 2021.
This commitment, he added, has been reinforced through the enactment of the Employment Act 2023, the Overseas Employment and Migrant Workers Act 2023, and the development of a Tripartite Action Plan to implement the Convention.
Dumbuya explained that the National Steering Committee was established following recommendations from a stakeholders’ workshop, which called for a dedicated body to coordinate, guide and monitor the implementation of Convention No. 189.
“The committee is expected to oversee the implementation of the 2026–2028 Tripartite Action Plan, strengthen coordination among stakeholders, facilitate social dialogue, monitor progress, promote awareness, improve data collection and mobilise resources to advance the rights and welfare of domestic workers,” he said.
He further noted that the committee would strengthen regional cooperation through ECOWAS and the Mano River Union while ensuring that Sierra Leone’s implementation of Convention No. 189 remains aligned with national legislation and international labour standards.
Speaking on behalf of the ILO Country Director, ILO Senior Specialist Inviolata Chinyangarara underscored the significance of the National Steering Committee, stressing that promoting decent work requires a coordinated approach involving a broad range of government institutions beyond the traditional social partners.
She commended the inclusion of representatives from the Ministries of Employment, Justice, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Internal Affairs, describing the committee as an inclusive platform for advancing the rights and welfare of domestic workers.
Chinyangarara emphasized that the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), is fundamentally about protecting the rights, dignity and welfare of domestic workers.
She said domestic work should no longer be viewed as merely helping or assisting in households but as legitimate employment that deserves fair remuneration, safe working conditions, legal protection against violence and harassment, and effective labour inspections.
She also acknowledged the support of the European Union, which is funding the second phase of the ILO project supporting the implementation of Convention No. 189 in selected countries, including Sierra Leone. According to her, the project has facilitated the establishment of the National Steering Committee, which will play a central role in guiding the country’s implementation of the Convention.
Also speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Domestic Workers Union, Chelcy Alma Heroe, outlined the committee’s core objectives, which include strengthening national coordination for the operationalisation of Convention No. 189 and ensuring alignment with national laws, policies and international labour standards.
She said the committee would also support the implementation of the Tripartite Action Plan, facilitate effective tripartite social dialogue, strengthen monitoring, accountability and reporting mechanisms, enhance inter-institutional collaboration and data sharing, and minimise duplication of efforts among implementing institutions.By George M.O. Williams
The Government of Sierra Leone has officially launched the National Steering Committee (NSC) on the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention 189, reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights of domestic workers and promoting decent work across the country.
The committee was inaugurated on Tuesday at the Sierra Leone Labour Congress Hall on Wallace Johnson Street in Freetown during a ceremony attended by representatives of the ILO, government ministries, the Sierra Leone Labour Congress, the Sierra Leone Employers’ Federation, development partners, and other stakeholders.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Lansana Dumbuya, described domestic workers as one of the country’s most essential yet least protected categories of workers.
He noted that an estimated 76 million people worldwide are engaged in domestic work, representing 4.5 percent of the global workforce. Of this figure, 76 percent are women, while 81 percent work in the informal economy.
According to Dumbuya, domestic workers provide indispensable services, including cooking, cleaning, childcare, caring for older persons and performing other household responsibilities that sustain families and communities.
He said Sierra Leone has made significant progress in strengthening labour protection under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio, highlighted by the ratification of ILO Convention No. 189 in August 2021.
This commitment, he added, has been reinforced through the enactment of the Employment Act 2023, the Overseas Employment and Migrant Workers Act 2023, and the development of a Tripartite Action Plan to implement the Convention.
Dumbuya explained that the National Steering Committee was established following recommendations from a stakeholders’ workshop, which called for a dedicated body to coordinate, guide and monitor the implementation of Convention No. 189.
“The committee is expected to oversee the implementation of the 2026–2028 Tripartite Action Plan, strengthen coordination among stakeholders, facilitate social dialogue, monitor progress, promote awareness, improve data collection and mobilise resources to advance the rights and welfare of domestic workers,” he said.
He further noted that the committee would strengthen regional cooperation through ECOWAS and the Mano River Union while ensuring that Sierra Leone’s implementation of Convention No. 189 remains aligned with national legislation and international labour standards.
Speaking on behalf of the ILO Country Director, ILO Senior Specialist Inviolata Chinyangarara underscored the significance of the National Steering Committee, stressing that promoting decent work requires a coordinated approach involving a broad range of government institutions beyond the traditional social partners.
She commended the inclusion of representatives from the Ministries of Employment, Justice, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Internal Affairs, describing the committee as an inclusive platform for advancing the rights and welfare of domestic workers.
Chinyangarara emphasized that the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189), is fundamentally about protecting the rights, dignity and welfare of domestic workers.
She said domestic work should no longer be viewed as merely helping or assisting in households but as legitimate employment that deserves fair remuneration, safe working conditions, legal protection against violence and harassment, and effective labour inspections.
She also acknowledged the support of the European Union, which is funding the second phase of the ILO project supporting the implementation of Convention No. 189 in selected countries, including Sierra Leone. According to her, the project has facilitated the establishment of the National Steering Committee, which will play a central role in guiding the country’s implementation of the Convention.
Also speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Domestic Workers Union, Chelcy Alma Heroe, outlined the committee’s core objectives, which include strengthening national coordination for the operationalisation of Convention No. 189 and ensuring alignment with national laws, policies and international labour standards.
She said the committee would also support the implementation of the Tripartite Action Plan, facilitate effective tripartite social dialogue, strengthen monitoring, accountability and reporting mechanisms, enhance inter-institutional collaboration and data sharing, and minimise duplication of efforts among implementing institutions.