LAGOS, Nigeria – In a move to combat the exploitation of child domestic workers, MAEJT Nigeria, a prominent organization dedicated to the welfare of children and youth, has convened a critical dialogue with local authorities and traditional lleaders, on how to implement child protection laws at the grassroot.
The event, titled “Local Authorities and Traditional Leaders Dialogue to Combat the Exploitation of Child Domestic Workers,” was held on Friday, October 24th, 2025, in the Makoko community of Lagos State.
The dialogue, funded by Freedom Fund, brought together participants from Makoko and Lagos Island under the banner “Protecting Every Child: Local Action Against Exploitation of Child Domestic Workers.” The primary focus was on creating actionable strategies to protect child domestic workers, often referred to as "House Boys/Girls," from widespread maltreatment and rights violations.
A central theme that emerged from the discussions was the critical gap between existing child protection laws and their implementation at the community level. Semeton Hunge, the Communication Manager for MAEJT Nigeria, emphasized this disconnect, stating, “We understand that from the state level we have existing laws that protect the children; however, there's little or no emphasis on the domestication of these laws.”
He elaborated on the need for localized solutions, adding, “From the engagement, we have realized that there is a law, but the communities are not aware... so we need to amplify our efforts, making the community know that these are the laws that exist and look at ways to localize them.”
Echoing this sentiment, Dr. Agbola Fausat, a participant at the event, praised the initiative for its community-centric approach. She identified government-led sensitization and enforcement as the major hurdles, stating, “The laws are there; educating people about it and the implementation by the government is the major challenge.”
Dr. Agbola stressed that the government must actively educate parents on the importance of education and the legal consequences of violating child protection statutes, underscoring that awareness of the law and its associated punishments is a powerful deterrent.
Further insights were provided by Homo Janet, Program Manager for Devatop Center for Africa Development, who highlighted specific rights that are frequently violated. “We spoke extensively about some major laws which include the right to education, which most of the stakeholders here today explained to be one of the challenging ones,” Janet noted. She also listed the right to healthcare, and the right to leisure time as key areas needing attention.
Her conclusion reinforced the consensus of the day: “There are many people that are not aware of these laws; there's so much work to do to make sure people are aware.”
Elizabeth Odion, the Programme Manager for MAEJT Nigeria, issued a powerful call to action. She declared that the key takeaway is that “no child should be left behind; all children deserve to be protected, most especially child domestic workers.” Odion urged vigilance and reporting, reminding attendees, “When we see anything like that, we should speak up, as there are various channels to report any form of child's right violation.” The dialogue concluded with a renewed commitment from local leaders and stakeholders to bridge the awareness gap and champion the domestication of child protection laws within their communities.