Maejt Nigeria and other stakeholders have restated need to strengthen partnerships, and renew collective commitment to ensuring that every child deserve to enjoy dignity, safety, education, hope and not exploitative domestic work.

They stated this at the recent Nigeria Convening conference 2.0 held recently in Ikeja, Lagos. With the theme ‘Childhood Not Servitude,’ it brought together government institutions, security agencies, non governmental organisation (NGOs) and other stakeholders to discuss measures for protecting children from exploitative domestic work and other forms of abuse.

National Coordinator, MAEJT Nigeria, Halilu S. Awesu, assured the organisation would continue to document our voices, strengthen survivor and youth leadership, support community-driven protection efforts, facilitate referral pathways, and advocate for stronger systems that protect children.

To him, lasting change cannot be achieved by MAEJT alone, ‘but requires shared responsibility among government, communities, civil society, development partners, families, employers, and other stakeholders. Together, let us move from dialogue to collective action, and from commitments to meaningful change.’

Programme Advisor for Freedom Fund Nigeria Chika Valerie Nwabeke insisted there is need to ensure every child is protected.

Saying children may experience long working hours, abuse, neglect and hazardous working environment, she however noted behind the challenges, there are talents and aspirations that must be protected.

Speaking in a similar vein, Deputy National Coordinator of the Child Protection Network Nigeria, Beatrice Linus Dung, stressed need for continued advocacy and public education, particularly for parents and communities that may not fully understand the consequences of child abuse.

Assistant Director in the Child Development Department of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Adeyemo Adebayo Adeyelure, added, “we continue to formulate policies. I’m proud to speak to you now; there’s a policy, there’s a diplomacy going on in Nigeria, that is the Child Rights Act. We are working assiduously to ensure that those things that were not captured in the Child Rights Act 2003 is being captured now.”

Adeyelure further advised parents to prioritise education as a means of protecting children from exploitation.

In addition, an administrative officer with the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command, ASP Esther Igbineweka, revealed cases of defilement of children, stealing, child trafficking and domestic violence are handled.

Igbineweka said the command has Family Support Units across Lagos State, with personnel trained to investigate sexual and gender-based violence cases.

To her, “one of the measures we take is quick response to any reports that get to us. We also do quick response to rescue survivors who are at risk of being abused.”

Speaking further, she said survivors could stay in safe homes through the Ministry of Youth and Social Development.