Liberia ratifies the Equal Remuneration Convention and the Minimum Age Convention

News | 29 June 2022
On 13 June 2022, Liberia deposited the instruments of ratification of the Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), and the Minimum Age Convention, 1973 (No. 138). On the same day, Liberia also deposited the instrument of ratification of the 1986 Instrument of Amendment to the ILO Constitution (link).

Liberia has now ratified eight fundamental Conventions. There are eleven ILO fundamental instruments (10 Conventions and one Protocol) following the decision, at the 110th Session of the ILC this June, to include safe and healthy working conditions in the ILO’s framework of fundamental principles and rights at work. They cover five core principles and rights at work: the abolition of forced labour, the elimination of child labour, equality and non-discrimination at work, freedom of association and collective bargaining, and a safe and healthy working environment.

The Office welcomes the ratification by Liberia of these two fundamental Conventions, which represent an important step towards the universal ratification of Conventions Nos 100 and 138 in Africa, as each of these Conventions require only one more ratification for this objective to be achieved.
Convention No. 100 promotes equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value. The term "remuneration" is broadly defined to include the ordinary, basic or minimum wage or salary and any additional emoluments payable directly or indirectly, whether in cash or in kind, by the employer to the worker and arising out of the worker's employment.

Convention No. 138 requires State parties to take measures to ensure the progressive elimination of child labour and sets the general minimum age for admission to employment or work at 15 years (13 for light work) and the minimum age for hazardous work at 18 (16 under certain strict conditions). In conformity with the possibility foreseen in Convention No. 138, Liberia has restricted the scope of application to certain branches of economic activity or types of undertakings, in a declaration appended to the instrument of ratification.
In depositing the official instruments of ratification at the ILO in Geneva, Ms Hannah Karbo, Deputy Minister of Labour, Planning and Human Resource Development, emphasized the importance attached at the highest level of her country to these Conventions in the context of the current economic crisis.

The Office, through the technical assistance provided by the ILO Country Office Abuja, worked hand-in-hand with the Government to achieve this result, during a 2020/2021 project aimed at strengthening the capacities of the ILO’s constituents for the ratification of Conventions Nos 100 and 138. With the ratifications of Conventions Nos 100 and 138, Liberia reinforces its commitment to respect the ILO’s fundamental principles and rights at work, as well as to protect and respect human rights, decent work and social justice for all.

These Conventions will enter into force in Liberia one year after their instruments of ratification were deposited with the ILO.

To date, Liberia had ratified 25 Conventions (of which 14 are in force). For further information, see NORMLEX.