By: Manoah Kikekon
LAGOS, Nigeria – MAEJT Nigeria, organization for the welfare of Working Children and Youth, has hosted a two-day regional summit. Titled "West Africa Convening on Child Domestic Worker and Forced Labour" brought together key delegates, government agencies, and advocates from across the region to forge a unified strategy for protecting vulnerable children.
The workshop, held on Wednesday, November 26th, and Thursday, November 27th, 2025, in Ikeja, Lagos State, was funded by the Freedom Fund. Under the powerful theme, "understanding the realities-Voices, challenges, and prospectives on Child Domestic Workers along the West African Corridor," the event served as a critical platform for dissecting the complex issues and systemic failures that enable child exploitation to persist.
A Call for Policy Enforcement and Government Action
The panel discussions immediately zeroed in on tangible solutions. A central demand from multiple stakeholders was for stronger governmental action.
Mrs. Agatha Kolawole, an ECOWAS technical officer with the International Labour Organization (ILO), emphasized the need for Nigeria to collaborate with labour organizations to implement ILO Convention 189. She also stressed the urgent enforcement of the national Labour Act, particularly provisions prohibiting child labour. "The major solution to reducing the vulnerability of children is addressing poverty in the nation," Kolawole stated, highlighting that ILO Convention 182 identifies poverty alleviation and quality education as primary strategies.
Halilu Awesu, the National Coordinator of MAEJT Nigeria, placed the onus squarely on the government. "Government is the only one that can give us the policies to protect Child Domestic Workers both indoors and outdoors," Awesu asserted.
He pointed out a critical gap in awareness, noting that community stakeholders are often ignorant of existing protective laws. He revealed the scale of the crisis, sharing that MAEJT Nigeria has already "reintegrated not less than 200 children this year alone," with a significant number originating from Benue State.
Distinguishing Chores from Exploitation
A key thread throughout the convening was the crucial distinction between acceptable child work and exploitative child labour. Hajara Osho, a representative of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) Lagos Command, was unequivocal.
"There is no way we can justify children being in Child Domestic Worker situations," she said. Osho clarified that while children can perform light household chores, exploitation begins when a child is made "to work for longer hours without rest or play," an offense that can lead to prosecution.
This cultural nuance was further explored by Isaac Amon-Kotey, a MAEJT representative from Ghana. He warned against hiding behind tradition to justify abuse. "In our tradition, children are known to have responsibilities at home... we try to hide behind that for children to work longer hours," Kotui explained.
He painted a grim picture of children isolated, denied education, and unable to speak up, emphasizing that "we talk about child labour but we don't talk about child domestic worker," calling for a specific focus on this hidden form of exploitation.
Empowering Survivors and Building Regional Consensus
The second day of the summit shifted from analysis to action, focusing on empowerment and advocacy. The agenda featured powerful sessions like "Empowering Survivors as Leaders - Lessons from the Freedom Fund Survivor Leadership Program," ensuring that the voices of those with lived experience were central to designing solutions. Participants engaged in group workshops titled "Designing Survivor-Led MAEJT Community Interventions" to create grassroots-level strategies.
The convening culminated in a strategic session on "Policy, Advocacy, and Development Systems Strengthening," aimed at "Building Consensus for Change" across West Africa. The goal was a unified Joint Declaration on Ending Exploitative Child Domestic Work, signaling a new, coordinated regional effort.
Mr. Imen Samuel, a Program Manager from the Freedom Fund, charged the professionals present to "bring probable recommendations to address the issues," reminding everyone that "every child has a dream that shouldn't be scotched under the guise of help."