Labour Ministry and IOM Collaborate with Private Employment Agencies to Promote Ethical Recruitment

Freetown, 15th July 2024__The Ministry of Employment Labour and Social Security (MELSS) in collaboration with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has held a policy brief with Private Employment Agencies to promote ethical recruitment practices in Sierra Leone.
This initiative aims to ensure recruitment processes are lawful, fair, and transparent, respecting the dignity and human rights of workers.

The one-day engagement addressed rising concerns about the exploitation and trafficking of West African migrants, including those from Sierra Leone, particularly in the Gulf Region.
Studies show that many migrants fall victim to unethical recruitment practices by intermediaries and irregular agents, leading to severe human rights abuses such as debt bondage and labour exploitation.

Participants discussed the challenges and current practices in recruitment by Private Recruitment Agencies and deliberated on recommendations for further policy and legislative actions to enhance the regulation and oversight of international recruitment.

Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, emphasized that while labour migration has the potential to transform lives, it can have disastrous consequences if mismanaged.
He highlighted the government’s aim to create 500,000 jobs in five years under the Youth Employment Scheme Pillar in the Medium-Term National Development Plan 2024-2030.

Minister Swaray outlined bold steps taken by the Government and its partners to sanitize the Labour Migration Sector.
These steps include ratifying several labour migration-related International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions, reviewing the country’s obsolete labour laws, enactment of the Overseas Employment and Migrant Workers’ Act 2023, and licensing of Private Recruitment Agencies.

“Bilateral labour agreements with several countries, especially in the Gulf, have been signed to ensure safe and decent labour migration, guaranteeing the dignity of migrant workers. Several other agreements are at advanced stages,” the Labour Minister said.

US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Bryan David Hunt, expressed his government’s commitment to promoting ethical recruitment globally through various initiatives and partnerships.

He emphasized that ethical recruitment is the cornerstone of a just and equitable labour market, ensuring workers’ rights and protections, and reiterated the US’s eagerness to work with Sierra Leone to ensure every migrant worker is treated with dignity and respect.