MOL Welcomes Ratification of ILO Conventions, Amendment of Human Trafficking Law
Labour Minister Cllr. Charles H. Gibson.
The Ministry of Labour says it welcomes the ratification of two International Labour Organization Conventions and the amendment of certain provisions of the law to ban Human Trafficking in Liberia by the Liberian Senate.
The Senate on Tuesday, August 31 ratified ILO Conventions “C-100” of 1959 on equal pay for equal work and the amendment of the ILO Constitution of 1986. These two international instruments were first ratified by the House of Representatives and sent to the House of Senate for concurrence. It is now left to be signed by the President of the Republic of Liberia.
The Senate also passed the amendment to the provision of the Law to ban Human Trafficking in Liberia and it is expected to be sent to the House of Representatives for concurrence as well. Speaking minutes after the ratifications of the two International Conventions and the amendment to the Human Trafficking Law of Liberia, Labour Minister Cllr. Charles H. Gibson described it as a breakthrough in enhancing labour administration, as well as the fight against human trafficking in Liberia.
Minister Gibson said that with ratifications of the two ILO Conventions, Liberia stands to benefit more from its major international partner, the ILO, and will lead to the coming of the ILO Decent Work Country Program which will bring about increased employment opportunities for Liberians, including ‘Zogoes’ and physically challenged people, among other programs.
The Labour Minister added that it was embarrassing that Liberia, as a founding member of the International Labour Organization, was considered as the only country in Africa that had not ratified these ILO instruments, especially C-100, which speaks to “Equal pay for equal work”.
On the issue of the amendment to the Human Trafficking Law of Liberia, Cllr. Gibson, who is also the Chairman of the National Human Trafficking Taskforce of Liberia, said that the amendment, which focuses meanly on areas of prosecution, strengthening of the Laws, and protection for witnesses, will greatly contribute to the elimination of human trafficking in Liberia He added that this latest development will help to improve Liberia’s grade on the United States Government Report on trafficking-in-persons in Liberia, which is one of the serious imperatives that a country must fulfill to qualify for certain financial benefits from the US Government.
Cllr. Gibson used the opportunity to thank members of the Legislature, Lawyers, and Consultants, ILO, IDLO, the US Embassy, the Liberia Labour Congress (LLC), the Liberia Chamber of Commerce (LCC), local and international partners, and all who participated in the activities leading to this great achievement
The ILO Program Manager in Liberia, Mr. Salif Haji Massalay, also welcomed the ratifications of the Conventions and said that the latest move by the Government of Liberia means that the country can now design programs to benefit vulnerable Liberians and others in the society. He said it will also accelerate the implementation of the Pro-poor Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially Convention 100 which speaks to gender equality.
He thanked the Labour Minister Gibson and the administration of the Ministry of Labour for his leadership role in ensuring that these ILO Conventions, which have been a major stumbling block for the implementation of some ILO programs in Liberia, have now been ratified.