ECOWAS Parliament Pushes Urgent Action Against Rising Street Child Crisis In West Africa
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
With thousands of vulnerable children exposed daily to abuse, trafficking and exploitation across West Africa, the ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a fresh regional resolution aimed at strengthening protection for street children and tackling child exploitation in member states.
At its First Ordinary Session in Abuja, lawmakers called on ECOWAS member states to implement comprehensive national strategies focused on child protection, free education, healthcare access, legal identity registration and child-friendly justice systems.
The resolution, adopted on 14 May 2026, also urged governments to strengthen social protection for vulnerable families and intensify prevention efforts through community-based child protection mechanisms, parental support services and anti-discrimination campaigns.
The regional parliament further tasked the ECOWAS Parliament and the ECOWAS Commission with developing a harmonised regional framework on street children, improving cross-border child protection systems and expanding data-driven monitoring mechanisms.
Lawmakers noted that street children remain among the most vulnerable groups in society, often exposed to violence, sexual abuse, economic exploitation and human trafficking.
The resolution forms part of broader regional efforts to align with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the United Nations framework protecting children in street situations.
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