Table of Contents
Liberia
Region: Western Africa Regional Economic Communities (REC): ECOWAS
→ View IIAG Country Statistics
| Indicator | Data |
|---|---|
| Governance (IIAG) | Overall Governance score: 49.1 / 100 · Rank: 26th / 54 |
PART 1 – HIGH-LEVEL COUNTRY MAPPING
Institutions and Stakeholder Database
(To be linked)
REC Membership
- ECOWAS
Population size and size of the informal economy
Liberia’s informal economy is estimated at approximately 42.7% of GDP, with a significant proportion of employment concentrated in:
- Small-scale trading
- Agriculture
- Informal services
This reflects structural features common to post-conflict and low-income economies, including:
- Limited formal job creation
- Weak industrial base
- Limited social protection coverage
Nature of the legal system and ILO status
Liberia operates a mixed legal system, combining:
- Common law (American-influenced)
- Statutory law
- Customary law
Liberia has been a member of the International Labour Organization (ILO) since 1919 and participates in the Decent Work Agenda, focusing on:
- Employment creation
- Labour rights
- Social protection
- Institutional strengthening
Workers’ rights in human rights system, national labour law / social protection and scope of protection
Workers’ rights in Liberia are governed through:
- The Labour Law of Liberia
- Constitutional protections
- International labour standards
These frameworks provide for:
- Regulation of employment relationships
- Occupational health and safety
- Basic labour rights protections
However:
- Informal workers remain largely outside formal protections
- Enforcement capacity is limited
- Social protection systems remain underdeveloped
Existing laws, policy and regulatory initiatives for the protection of workers in the informal economy
Liberia’s approach to informal economy regulation is characterised by:
- General labour law frameworks
- Policy-level interventions
- Limited sector-specific regulation
Challenges include:
- Weak enforcement institutions
- Limited coverage of informal workers
- High reliance on informal livelihoods
PART 2 – SECTOR SPECIFIC REGULATION
Domestic Work Sector
(Content to be added)
Street Vendor
(Content to be added)
Waste Reclaiming
(Content to be added)
Home working
(Content to be added)
Gig Work and the Platform Economy
(Content to be added)
Farm Work
(Content to be added)
The Mining Sector and Artisanal Mining
(Content to be added)
Taxi and Transport Sector (Gig-work/platform economy overlap)
(Content to be added)
Cross-Border Informal Trade
Liberia’s participation in ECOWAS facilitates:
- Regional mobility
- Informal cross-border trading networks
However:
- Trade remains largely informal
- Regulatory oversight is limited
- Informal trade is critical for livelihoods
Sources / Links
- IIAG – Liberia: https://iiag.online/locations/lr.html
- Labour Law of Liberia
- ILO Country Profile – Liberia (to be linked)