By Kelfala Kargbo
Freetown, 8th April 2026- Joint parliamentary committees in the ECOWAS parliament have come together to discuss approaches in safeguarding and protecting the rights of children in the streets on the theme “Parliamentary Approaches to Safeguarding Children in Street Situations and Addressing Child Exploitation in the ECOWAS Region”.
The aim of the engagement is to develop legal frameworks backed by implementation strategies and regional collaboration to prevent the exploitation of children in the streets, while providing a platform where their voices can be heard.
Making the opening remarks, Head of Sierra Leonean Delegation of the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay, said that the gathering was a platform for reflection on the shared commitment among member states in advancing the welfare of their people, while describing children in the street situations as the ‘most vulnerable’ members in society.
“They face high exposures to exploitation, violence, labour, substance abuse and limited access to essential social services,” said Hon. Sesay, pointing the challenges children in the street situations face.
In his statement, the Speaker of Sierra Leone’s parliament, Hon. Sengehpoh Solomon Thomas said the challenges children face is not only an isolated welfare issue but one that is directly linked to human rights abuse and a ‘silent indictment of our governance system’.
Parliament, he said, has made progressive laws in addressing the challenges children face, referencing the Child Rights’ Act 2025 as an example.
“We must ensure our legal frameworks are robust, harmonised with the international convention and responding to emerging threats of exploitation. Laws must not only exist but be enforced,” he advised.
He called for behaviour changes towards children, urging that they must not be stigmatized but be protected, rehabilitated and reintegrated, while advancing regional collaboration.
Delivering goodwill messages, both ministers of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Ministry of Gender and Children’s Affairs shared similar sentiments in protecting and safeguarding the welfare of children in street situations and child exploitation.
In her statement, Dr. Isata Mahoi, Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, disclosed that Africa has an estimation of 300, 000 children in the street with Sierra Leone accounting for about 20,000, adding that 45% of the country’s population under age 18 either in street situations or facing exploitation.
She added that her ministry has developed a national strategy in addressing the issue of children in the street situations, stating that the strategy identified three approaches in mitigating ranging from prevention to implementation.
In his address, Chair Committee on Public Accounts representing the Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament, Hon. Guy Marius Sanga said that the future of any country is by the type of children they have, stating that children should be taken care of.
“A solid country is judged not by the way they treat their ministers but by the way it treats its most vulnerable population particularly children,” Hon. Sagna said, saying they need to focus on them as children do not have a voice on their own.
Engagement continues, with member countries debating on the legal and policy framework that will prevent children in street situations and exploitation through strengthened regional collaboration.
