The Parliament of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS Parliament) has adopted a resolution to combat child hunger, deprivation, abuse, trafficking, and all forms of exploitation threatening the future of children in the region.
The resolution was passed yesterday during the Parliament's First Ordinary Session of 2026, held in Abuja, Nigeria. It drew on recommendations from a delocalised meeting of the Joint Committee on Social Affairs, Gender, Women Empowerment and People with Disabilities; Legal Affairs and Human Rights; and Trade, Customs and Free Movement, which took place earlier in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
The Parliament expressed deep concern over the rising number of vulnerable children forced to beg, sleep in markets and bus parks, and exposed to violence and sexual abuse due to poverty and apparent indifference by authorities. The resolution calls for urgent and coordinated action to protect these children.
During their April meeting, lawmakers examined the theme 'Parliamentary Approach to the Protection of Street Children and the Fight Against the Exploitation of Children in the ECOWAS Region.' They warned that street children remain one of the most neglected groups, facing some of the gravest human rights abuses.
Consequently, the Parliament called on all ECOWAS member states to adopt and implement comprehensive national strategies for street children, with clear objectives, timelines, and dedicated budgetary allocations in line with international child rights standards.
Governments were urged to strengthen enforcement of child protection laws and ensure that no child lives on the streets. Instead, children should have access to free and inclusive education, healthcare services, mental health support, birth registration, identity documents, and child-friendly justice systems.
The Parliament stressed the need to tackle root causes by expanding social protection programmes for vulnerable families, particularly single-parent households affected by poverty, displacement, and family breakdown. Preventive measures such as community child protection mechanisms, parental support services, psychosocial assistance, and public awareness campaigns to combat discrimination and social exclusion were also recommended.
The Parliament directed the ECOWAS Commission to develop a harmonised regional framework on street children to guide member states and ensure a coordinated response across the subregion. The Commission was also urged to strengthen regional coordination through collaboration with governments, civil society organisations, and development partners, while expanding the ECOWAS Child Rights Information Management System to support data-driven policymaking and accountability.
Recognising the cross-border nature of child trafficking and exploitation, the Parliament called for referral systems, safe repatriation protocols, and information-sharing mechanisms among member states to better protect children on the move. Other demands include increased capacity-building support for national institutions in child protection, child-friendly justice, and law enforcement.
The Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, Memounatou Ibrahim, was mandated to transmit the resolution and the report of the joint committee to the President of the ECOWAS Commission for onward submission to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers.
The session, which began on May 4, addressed several issues affecting the region and made recommendations that, if implemented, could address some of the challenges confronting the region.
