By Florence Joshua
By Florence Joshua
Stakeholders at a town hall meeting organised by the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) in Freetown, Sierra Leone are calling for long term solutions to the social challenge of street begging and child exploitation in the sub region.
The participants comprising parliamentarians from the member countries and civil society organisations are calling for urgent and coordinated action including mandatory registration, monitoring and enforcement of child fostering policies and laws among member states.
The meeting forms part of the ongoing ECOWAS Parliament Joint Committee sessions holding from April 7 to 12, 2026, under the theme: “Parliamentary Approaches to Safeguarding Children in Street Situations and Addressing Child Exploitation in the ECOWAS Region.”
“Thousands of children across West Africa are still exposed to exploitation, violence, and life on the streets. We must act now,” Veronica Kadie Sesay, a lawmaker from Sierra Leone said.
Civil society organisations at the meeting identified poverty, family breakdown, and lack of access to basic education and services as key drivers of child protection crisis.
Executive Director of the Saint George Foundation, Justina Zainab Conteh, noted that economic hardship continues to push children back onto the streets despite ongoing interventions.
“We try to reconnect children with families, but without financial stability, many of them return to the streets,” she noted.
While calling for long term sustainable solutions, Father Don Bosco, who has worked with vulnerable children in Sierra Leone for over a decade, said “most of what we see are short-term interventions. What these children need is sustained rehabilitation and proper reintegration into society.”
Participants therefore recommended that the ECOWAS Parliament should to adopt child-centred national strategies and ensure children are involved in decision-making processes on issues that affect them.
They also called for the repeal of laws criminalising children for loitering, begging, or vagrancy.
“Children should not be punished for being poor or homeless. These laws only deepen their suffering,” Executive Director of, Laughter Africa, James Tyrrell, said.
They further recommended reforms in law enforcement, including child-rights-based police training and the creation of independent complaint systems.
On access to services, the participants emphasised the need for free healthcare, education, rehabilitation, and legal identity for children in street situations.
The meeting also highlighted concerns around informal fostering practices known as “men pikin,” in some countries where children are sent to live with relatives but often end up being exploited.
“Promised care often turns into exploitation. We must regulate and monitor these arrangements,” another participant and National Team lead and CEO of Future Focus Foundation, Amb Sylvester Sidie Mohammed warned.
Despite existing legal frameworks, stakeholders noted that implementation remains weak across many countries in the region.
They urged lawmakers to move beyond dialogue and take concrete action.
“The laws exist, the frameworks exist. What is missing is action,” said Country Director of Street Child of Sierra Leone, Kelfa Kargbo.
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