By Oluwatope Lawanson
Some stakeholders have called for stronger enforcement of child protection laws, improved collaboration and increased public awareness to combat exploitative child domestic work.
They spoke in Lagos at a coordination forum organised by a non-govermental organisation, DEVATOP Centre for Africa Development, to commemorate 2026 World Day Against Child Labour on Thursday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the forum had the theme: “Ending Exploitation And Upholding Dignity”.
It was organised in partnership with groups including Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre, Slum2School, CAPRIGHTS, and Street Project Foundation.
Other partners are MAEJT, and Hearts and Hand Humanitarian Foundation, with support from The Freedom Fund and funding from the U.S. Department of State.
Ms Peculia Inana, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead at DEVATOP, said that exploitative child domestic work remained one of the most hidden forms of child labour.
According to her, it often occurs in private homes and exposes children to abuse, excessive workload, denial of education, and social isolation.
She emphasised improving referral pathways and coordination mechanisms to ensure timely access to protection services for at-risk children.
Inana stressed the need for synergy among stakeholders, particularly non-governmental organisations and educators, saying that sustainable change would be achieved through collaboration.
“NGOs have the power to implement projects and to cause change.
“We want synergy in the society. It is not just one person or two persons; everyone must take action,” she said.
She urged governments to move beyond policy formulation to effective implementation of child protection laws.
“There are laws that are currently enacted to protect children, but implementation is key.
“Government must strengthen enforcement, so these children are truly protected,” she said.
Inana disclosed that DEVATOP currently had about 10 cases it was working on alongside other organisations.
She said that DEVATOP and its partners focused on awareness creation and referral of cases to appropriate authorities.
“We do not prosecute; we refer perpetrators to the government alongside other organisations,” she said.
She cautioned parents against giving out their children for economic reasons without proper monitoring.
“Sometimes, it is a selfish act because some parents do not follow up on the wellbeing of their children. If parents show concern, guardians will act better.
“Our call to action is centred on community sensitisation and collective responsibility.
“We sensitise the community to take action on speaking against the maltreatment of children in the society,” she said.
Mr Samuel Esuola, Project Team Lead, Hearts and Hand Humanitarian Foundation, emphasised the need for sustained advocacy and stakeholder responsibility.
Esuola said that while the long-term goal was to eliminate child domestic work, immediate efforts should ensure that children would not be exposed to abuse or denied their rights.
“Exploitative conditions include excessive workload, age-inappropriate tasks, denial of education and access to basic services.
“These violate their fundamental human rights,” he said.
He said that awareness on exploitative child domestic work only gained traction in recent years, adding that increased sensitisation would help to change attitudes among employers.
“Some employers do not even know it is wrong. With ongoing sensitisation, they are beginning to understand that children must not be subjected to exploitation,” Esuola said.
According to him, a number of cases of abuse are referred to government agencies, with some offenders facing prosecution.
“Lagos is trying, but it has not done enough. However, there is willingness from the government, and partners are supporting to ensure these issues receive attention.
“Every child deserves childhood, and we must ensure children are not subjected to exploitative conditions,” he said.
Mr Damiola Adenusi, Project Lead at Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre, also called for collective responsibility in safeguarding children.
Adenusi warned that neglecting abused children could have long-term societal consequences.
“When a child is abused and ignored, that child may grow up to become an abuser. Saving a child is saving our future,” he said.
He advised parents against using children for economic gains, stressing the importance of investing in their education and development.
“Every child we invest in positively will grow to become a better person for themselves and society.
“Using children for economic gain benefits only the parents, not the child,” he said.
On prevention, Adenusi urged stakeholders to engage communities and gatekeepers to discourage child labour practices.
“It is becoming unacceptable in some communities for children to be engaged in trading during school hours.
“Stakeholders must take steps to protect children at all costs,” he said.
Addressing data gaps, he advised partners on working to improve in data collection through stakeholder mapping and regular reviews.
“Data is key. We conduct mapping and quarterly reviews to ensure we have reliable data for programming and decision-making.
“Our call to action is to ensure that every child has the right to good life. Every child deserves to live a prosperous life,” he said.
NAN reports that the forum focused on strengthening case management systems and referral pathways to improve access to protection services for vulnerable children in Lagos State. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Ijeoma Popoola
