The ECOWAS Parliament has adopted a resolution directing member states to take immediate action toward protecting street children, ending child exploitation, and removing them from the streets in the sub-region.

The lawmakers adopted the landmark resolution during the parliament’s ongoing 2026 First Ordinary Session on Thursday in Abuja.

They also mandated the parliament’s speaker to transmit the resolution and the joint committee report to the ECOWAS Commission president for onward submission to the chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers.

The MPs noted that “street children, who are usually exposed to the gravest human rights abuses, are among the most neglected groups in society.”

The parliament’s decision follows recommendations from a delocalised meeting of its Joint Committee, which was held earlier in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in April.

The committee comprises Social Affairs, Gender, Women Empowerment, People with Disabilities, Legal Affairs and Human Rights, Trade, Customs and Free Movement.

“ECOWAS member states are to adopt and implement comprehensive domestic strategies for street children, with clear objectives, timelines, and dedicated budgetary allocations in line with international child rights standards.

“Member states are also urged to strengthen the enforcement of child protection laws and ensure that street children have access to free, inclusive education, healthcare, birth registration, identity documents, and child-friendly justice systems,” the resolution said.

The parliament also urged the ECOWAS Commission to develop a harmonised regional framework on street children to guide member states and ensure a coordinated response across the sub-region.

“The ECOWAS Commission should expand its Child Rights Information Management System to support data-driven policy-making and accountability, and strengthen regional coordination through collaboration with governments, civil society organisations and development partners,” it further said.

The lawmakers stressed the need to tackle the root causes of the street children crisis by expanding social protection programmes for vulnerable families, particularly single-parent households affected by poverty, displacement, and family breakdown.

“The parliament recommends preventive measures such as community child protection mechanisms, parental support services, psychosocial assistance, and public awareness campaigns to combat discrimination and social exclusion.

“Recognising the cross-border nature of child trafficking and exploitation, the parliament calls for referral systems, safe repatriation protocols, and information-sharing mechanisms among member states to better protect children on the move,” the resolution stated.

It also stressed the need to scale up capacity-building support for national institutions in child protection, child-friendly justice, and law enforcement.

Thursday’s sitting focused on the theme: “Parliamentary Approach to the Protection of Street Children and the Fight Against the Exploitation of Children in the ECOWAS Region.” 

(NAN)