(4 Minutes Read)
Staff correspondent
Sierra Leone, a least developed West African country located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean will go to polls on June 24th. The median age in Sierra Leone is approximately 19 years, which is arguably the youngest in the world. This demographic profile presents both prospects and challenges. The country is endowed with a working population, while the world is greying and the challenge is that they have to be gainfully employed.
Sierra Leone is a least-developed country and is challenged by several economic and political problems. Legacies of political instability, civil war, and widespread poverty are some of them. In recent years, the West African country has experienced moderate economic growth. According to the World Bank, the country’s real GDP growth was 2.3% in 2019. Sierra Leone has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which disrupted various sectors, including tourism, mining, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Annual GDP Growth Rate is estimated to clock at 3% by the end of 2023, which exceeds the pre-Covid days, which is a good augury.
Sierra Leone’s economy is heavily reliant on the mining sector, particularly diamonds. Rutile and bauxite are also mined. Sectors like agriculture, fisheries, and services contribute to GDP growth; but they have only a small base. The country is implementing several schemes to diversify its economy.
Challenges to Sierra Leone’s economic development include limited infrastructure, inadequate access to quality education and healthcare, corruption, and high unemployment rates. Inadequate skills training and a lack of access to quality education are factors contributing to the high unemployment coupled with the incessantly slow growth of the manufacturing sector. The youth unemployment rate in Sierra Leone was estimated at 4.15% in 2022, according to the World Bank. As per the report of the International Organization for Migration, almost 60 percent of young people in Sierra Leone are unemployed.
A significant portion of Sierra Leone’s workforce is engaged in unregulated or informal jobs, such as street vending, small-scale agriculture, and subsistence farming. They lack job security, social protection, and decent working conditions. Many young people lack the necessary skills and qualifications required for available job opportunities, leading to a gap between job market demands and the workforce’s capabilities.
Sierra Leone faces challenges in attracting foreign direct investment (FDI) and expanding industries to create more job opportunities. The country’s economic structure, heavily reliant on the mining sector, has limited diversification and job creation in other sectors.
Agriculture is an essential sector in Sierra Leone, employing a significant portion of the population. However, the sector faces productivity challenges, low technological advancements, and limited access to credit and markets. Strengthening the agriculture sector can help generate more employment opportunities.
Women face higher unemployment rates compared to men in Sierra Leone. Gender inequalities, limited access to education and resources, and cultural barriers contribute to this disparity. Addressing gender disparities and promoting women’s empowerment can help reduce unemployment rates among women. Recently the nation has passed a landmark law on women’s employment rights where the law states that 30% of public and private jobs must be reserved for women.
Read Also:
https://trendsnafrica.com/sierra-leone-bans-parades-and-nosy-campaigns-as-election-time-nears/
https://trendsnafrica.com/sierra-leone-passes-two-bills-to-empower-rural-landowners-and-women/
Addressing unemployment in Sierra Leone requires comprehensive strategies that focus on improving education and skills training, health care, promoting entrepreneurship, diversifying the economy, job creation to harness the potential of the youth population, and creating an enabling environment for investment. Efforts to improve infrastructure, access to finance, and market linkages can also contribute to job creation and economic growth. Since the youth population plays a key role in shaping the political landscapes of the country, ensuring social justice, equality, transparency, and good governance also is a must for the contesting parties in the election.
