Florence Joshua
Parliamentarians drawn from the West Africa region have called for laws criminalising street begging involving children and a structured child support payment system to stop the growing menace.
Speaking at the ongoing Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament Joint Committee meeting in Freetown, Sierra Leone, Amdiatta Diaby from, a lawmaker from Senegal said criminalising child street begging was necessary due to stem the tide of street begging in the ECOWAS region.
The parliamentarians say only coordinated regional laws, stronger enforcement, and social protection systems can effectively end the exploitation of children and restore their dignity across the West Africa region.
While pointing to a mix of poverty, weak parental control, exploitation, and gaps in policy enforcement as major drivers of child street begging, the parliamentarians say only coordinated regional laws, stronger enforcement, and social protection systems can effectively end the exploitation of children and restore their dignity across West Africa.
Also speaking, Ismaila Wone (Senegal) called for the harmonisation of laws across ECOWAS member states, noting that street begging has expanded rapidly and is increasingly linked to rising crime.
The lawmakers also agreed that education alone was not enough without enforcement and social support systems.
A Senegalese lawmaker and a participant at the meeting, Dawood, noted a worrisome decline in parental upbringing, saying many families no longer have control over their children leaving them vulnerable to street life and exploitation.
He stressed that beyond legislation, there must be renewed focus on family responsibility and social values.
Ghanaian legislator Dominic Naparre called for increased budgetary allocation for children with disabilities, warning that they are among the most vulnerable to exploitation.
He also raised concerns about cross-border challenges, citing the criminalisation of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Ghana, which has led some to cross into neighbouring countries to continue the practice which calls for stronger border control and regional cooperation.
From Liberia, Briggs Mensah urged lawmakers to prioritise safeguarding the future of children, stressing that failure to act now could have long-term consequences for the region.
From Sierra Leone, parliamentarian Saa Emerson Lamin highlighted government efforts to address the issue, including significant investment in education. He said the country has committed about 22 percent of its national budget to free education, alongside laws aimed at protecting children.
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