The Africa Faith and Justice Network (AFJN), Dominicans for Justice and Peace, and other non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have teamed up with government agencies to tackle child labour, domestic servitude, and child marriage in Nigeria.

With the theme: “Ending Domestic Servitude and Child Labour,” these groups and government agencies, including National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons in Nigeria (NAPTIP) and International Federation of Female Lawyers (FIDA) discussed ways to curb the aforementioned abuses in Lagos.

UN Permanent Delegate for Justice and Peace, Revd Fr Aniedi Okure, said children from rural areas and neighbouring countries were trafficked to Lagos under false promises of education, but ended up in forced labour.

AFJN’s National Coordinator, Sr Bernadette Okure, said victims suffer psychological and physical abuse, with women among the key violators; while Frederick  Uche  Oko  of NAPTIP, warned that employing children under 12 as domestic workers is illegal.

and comes with strict penalties for offenders.
  In her remarks, Lady Phil Nneji encouraged victims to seek help, citing successful rescues by NGOs and legal groups. On his part, Reverend Father Frederick Obananya stressed the need for advocacy training within parish communities to protect vulnerable children.
  “The initiative will mentor community groups to identify and report abuse cases, ensuring legal, health, and educational support for affected children,” he said.
  A student of Geology at the University of Lagos, Chidera Okonkwo-Samuel, expressed shock at the scale of child servitude, noting how adolescents are recruited into domestic service in middle-class and affluent households across Africa.
The event concluded with a call for stronger collaboration between religious groups, NGOs, and the government to end child labour in Nigeria.