According to Joseph Osuigwe, Executive Director of Devatop Centre for African Development, every child deserves a true childhood and should be treasured—not subjected to exploitation.
Mr. Joseph Osuigwe, Executive Director of the Devatop Centre for African Development, has called for urgent protection of children from exploitation, stressing that every child deserves a childhood and should be valued as a treasure, not treated as a servant.
Osuigwe made the remarks on Tuesday at a Stakeholders’ Advocacy Roundtable on Protecting Child Domestic Workers (CDWs) from Maltreatment, held in Ikeja. The event, themed “Strengthening Policy and Collaboration to Prevent Child Domestic Work and Protect Affected Children,” was organised by Devatop with support from Freedom Fund, in partnership with the U.S. Department of State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Devatop is a youth-led anti-human trafficking and human rights organisation in Nigeria.
In his address, Osuigwe condemned the exploitation of CDWs, describing it as a “hidden, widespread issue.” He noted that child domestic work has existed for years but is often ignored, leaving affected children vulnerable and neglected.
“For two years, we have engaged with child domestic workers and found that they are often abandoned, with hardly any initiatives addressing their plight,” he said.
He emphasised that children must never be treated as servants: “A child is not a worker. A child is a child, and should be treated as such.”
Osuigwe urged communities to end the normalisation of child domestic labour, identifying economic hardship, poverty, orphanhood, and ignorance of child rights as major drivers of the practice, which also fuels human trafficking.
He highlighted the harmful consequences of child domestic labour, including denial of education and exposure to hazardous tasks such as heavy lifting, street hawking, and the use of sharp objects beyond a child’s capacity. While acknowledging that children may assist with light domestic chores, he stressed that such involvement must not compromise their education, mental health, or wellbeing.
“Some children bear the burden of entire families. We condemn such acts. Every child should enjoy their childhood and be treated as a treasure, not a tool,” Osuigwe said.
He further called for awareness campaigns, stronger enforcement of child rights laws, and community responsibility in protecting children. He urged parents to fulfil their duty of care and encouraged citizens to report cases of child exploitation.
Delivering the keynote address, Mrs. Chika Nwabeke, representing Freedom Fund, urged government and stakeholders to address the root causes of child domestic labour while strengthening protection measures.
In her paper titled “Building Stronger Legal and Social Protection for Children in Domestic Work,” Nwabeke cited poverty, unemployment, and weak safety nets as key factors driving children into exploitative labour. She warned that without sustainable interventions such as livelihood support, women’s empowerment, and improved access to education, efforts would only treat symptoms rather than causes.
Nwabeke stressed that collaboration, accountability, and adequate resource allocation were crucial for achieving lasting solutions.
“While Lagos State Government has demonstrated commitment to child protection, equal attention must be given to children in exploitative domestic work. These children must not be left behind between policy and reality,” she said.
News Agency of Nigeria
