L-R Damilola Adenusi: Head of Program – Cece Yara Child Advocacy Center; Bisi Ajayi-Kayode: CEO – Cece Yara Child Advocacy Center; Omole Florence Titilayo – Ministry of Youth and Social Development; Salako T. O – Ministry of Education, Quality Assurance Dept; Oteniara Abolore – Bureau of Public Defender
Civil society groups have renewed the call for urgent action to curb child abuse in Nigeria and across Africa, urging parents and guardians to draw a clear line between normal household chores and exploitative child domestic work.
The demand formed the focus of discussions at an event in Lagos to commemorate the 2026 Day of the African Child, organised by Cece Yara Child Advocacy Center in collaboration with the Gift of the United States Government and the Freedom Fund.
With the theme, _“Beyond Household Labour: Protecting the Dignity, Safety and Rights of Every Child,”_ the programme was aimed at providing protection for children who cook, clean, fetch water, care for others and keep the home running.
*‘Restore the Nigerian Child’s Innocence’*
Setting the tone, Convener of the event, Mrs. Bisi Ajayi-Kayode, said the group was determined to restore the innocence and childhood of Nigerian children.
“This programme is to give clarity, capacity building for participants, so they can step in to mitigate the plight of child domestic workers, to preserve the lives and destinies of the children who are in the bondage of child domestic work,” she said.
Child rights advocate and Head of Programs, Cece Yara Child Advocacy Center, Mr. Damilola Adenusi, said the time to act is now.
“We are here today to say ARISE and to create awareness and to recognise those signs, because we cannot just stay indoors and ignore the child outside our own flat suffering, and not be attended to,” he stated.
*Poverty Linked to Exploitation*
Executive Director of the Bimbo Odukoya Foundation, Mrs. Aderonke Oyelakin, linked the rise in child exploitation to poverty. She urged couples to have only the number of children they can cater for, to avoid giving minors to relatives or friends as domestic workers.
A panel session led by Mrs. Ngozi Arinze, Program Manager, CAPRIGHTs-VP, featured Psychologist, Ms. Precious Olorunfemi, and Child Protection Expert, Mr. Azeez Ajifowoke.
Ms. Olorunfemi said abuse produces aggressive children and warned that emotional signs like fear, timidity, and loss of self-esteem often go unnoticed.
“There are some that look well taken care of just to create a picture that everything is actually fine. Some guardians pour negative words on the children, and hearing such words at that formative period takes away their self-esteem,” she noted.
Mr. Ajifowoke stressed that when a child is found in an unsafe place, the first duty is to remove the minor immediately to prevent further trauma.
*Survivor’s Plea*
Also speaking, survivor and child rights advocate, Mrs. Roseline Oguwezi, said child domestic work has harmful effects on children. She called on government and non-government stakeholders to amplify the rights, dignity, protection and wellbeing of African children.
The commemoration also featured drama and poetry presentations by children.
The 2026 Day of the African Child is focused on _“Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Africa.”_
