FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – On 1 May, FAWE Sierra Leone proudly joined the Ministry of Labour and the Sierra Leone Labour Congress in commemorating National Labour Day at the May Day / World Labour Conference, held at the Miatta Conference Hall. The event took place under the theme: *“Building Workers’ Power for Sierra Leone’s Transformative Agenda”* and brought together government officials, employers, workers’ representatives, development partners, and key stakeholders in a collective reaffirmation that workers remain central to national development.
The conference served as a platform for high-level dialogue on pressing labour and employment issues facing the country. Key discussions focused on strengthening labour reforms and social protection, promoting fair labour relations and decent work, expanding skills development and youth employment, supporting women’s empowerment and entrepreneurship, creating jobs through private sector growth, and advancing digital transformation while protecting workers’ rights in an evolving economy.
FAWE Sierra Leone’s participation underscored the organization’s longstanding commitment to promoting inclusive development, gender equality, and the empowerment of women and girls as integral components of Sierra Leone’s transformative agenda. Throughout the conference, FAWE representatives engaged with labour leaders, policymakers, and civil society partners to highlight the specific barriers that young women and girls face in accessing decent work, skills training, and entrepreneurial opportunities, while also showcasing proven interventions that link education to economic empowerment.
The Labour Day commemoration provided FAWE Sierra Leone with a valuable opportunity to advocate for the integration of gender-responsive perspectives into labour reforms and employment policies, ensuring that the transformative agenda leaves no worker behind—particularly the most marginalized and vulnerable. By positioning itself at the intersection of education, skills development, and labour rights, FAWE Sierra Leone reinforced the message that building workers’ power must include deliberate investments in girls’ education, women’s leadership, and equitable pathways to dignified work.
The conference concluded with renewed commitments from multiple stakeholders to strengthen collaboration across sectors, and FAWE Sierra Leone emerged with actionable partnerships aimed at advancing youth employment and women’s entrepreneurship as part of the country’s broader development trajectory.