Assessing the Effectiveness of Government Policies on Youth Employment in Sierra Leone

Abstract

Aims: To assess how well the government youth-employment policies work in Sierra Leone by examining program design features, youth perceptions, and structural barriers to job access in five cities. Study Design: A mixed-method research design that includes both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Place and Duration of Study: Between February and June 2025, data collection took place in Sierra Leone, where we purposively sampled urban (Freetown), semi-urban (Bo, Makeni, Kenema), and rural-adjacent (Moyamba) locations to evaluate potential regional differences in policy impact. Methodology: We targeted 450,000 youth in the age bracket (15-35years) living in the five cites. Stratified random sampling was employed to choose 500 youths (aged 15–35) for the administration of structured questionnaires. 40 stakeholder representatives were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. Quantitative data were processed and analyzed using SPSS (descriptive/inferential statistics), whereas qualitative data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results: Nearly 44% of youths were engaged in the informal sector, 29% were unemployed, and 56% lived below the national poverty line. Policies that complied with ILO standards and were well-funded were the most significant predictors of positive employment outcomes, whereas digital access, bureaucratic delays, and high costs limited opportunities. The active involvement of youth improved the perception of the effectiveness of the policy. Conclusion: The youth employment policies in Sierra Leone have a certain degree of effectiveness; however, they require improvements, especially in areas such as digital accessibility for the youth, slowing down bureaucratic processes, and employing the youth at a higher rate. The integration of the ILO standard, sufficiently funded and designed jointly with the youth into the 2026 National Youth Policy by such projects as a free-of-charge e-portal, a maximum 15-day approval period, and a smartphone micro-grant will be very important for turning the demographic dividend into decent, formal job opportunities.