By Gloria Ikibah
The ECOWAS Parliament has opened a high-level Joint Committee meeting in Freetown, bringing regional lawmakers together for five days of talks aimed at strengthening protection for vulnerable children across West Africa.
The session, running from 8 to 12 April 2026, brings together key parliamentary committees under the theme, “Parliamentary Approaches to Safeguarding Children in Street Situations and Addressing Child Exploitation in the ECOWAS Region.” 
A statement by the Committees on Social Affairs, Gender, Women Empowerment & Persons with Disabilities; Legal Affairs and Human Rights; Trade, Customs and Free Movement; and Political Affairs, Peace, Security and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), said discussions are rooted in ECOWAS’ responsibility to ensure that member states uphold agreed child protection commitments.
Across the region, parliamentarians acknowledge that worsening economic conditions, rapid urban growth and ongoing humanitarian pressures are driving more children onto the streets, where they face heightened risks.
“The theme of the Joint Committee meeting is consistent with the institution’s mandate of legislative oversight to promote Member States’ effective implementation of ECOWAS child protection commitments. Member States have adopted the ECOWAS Child Policy and Strategic Plan of Action (2019–2030) and the ECOWAS Gender Strategy, both of which provide normative frameworks for preventing and responding to child vulnerability across the region.
“These children tend to face serious and compounding risks — including exploitation, hazardous labour, violence, substance abuse, and limited access to essential protection services. Though legal frameworks exist in many Member States, inconsistencies in implementation, resource constraints, and weak cross-sector coordination continue to reduce their effectiveness.
Concerns have also been raised about the challenges posed by cross-border movement within the region.
“In a region marked by porous borders and significant intra-regional mobility, differences in legal standards, child protection procedures, data systems, and enforcement capacity can create dangerous protection gaps — particularly for children who cross borders or engage in informal economic activities.
“There is therefore a clear need for harmonised legislative approaches, enhanced parliamentary oversight, and strengthened inter-parliamentary collaboration to ensure that regional commitments translate into tangible safeguards for children of West Africa”, the statement read.
Freetown was selected deliberately as host city, reflecting Sierra Leone’s recent legal reforms.
“The choice of Freetown as the host city of the meeting of the Joint Committee is deliberate, given Sierra Leone’s adoption of the revised Child Rights Act (2025), which represents a significant progress in aligning national legislation with international and African child protection standards,” the statement said.
The Member State’s ongoing reform efforts, encompassing institutional coordination, social welfare delivery, data systems, and community-based protection mechanisms — make it a key reference point for peer learning and regional exchange.
Participants are expected to study Sierra Leone’s approach as a potential model for the wider region. “Members of the Parliamentary Joint Committee and other participants at the meeting are expected to review Sierra Leone’s national strategies and service delivery systems as a model for broader application across ECOWAS Member States,” it added.
The meeting will include regional policy briefings, a national case study presentation, a public hearing with civil society groups and field visits to key locations in Freetown, including the Cotton Tree area and the Don Bosco facility.
“All field engagements will strictly adhere to national safeguarding regulations and internationally recognised child protection principles, including consent, confidentiality, and dignity,” the statement stressed.
At the end of the meeting, lawmakers are expected to adopt recommendations focused on closing gaps in child protection systems and strengthening oversight.
“The Joint Committee is expected to adopt conclusions and recommendations to guide parliamentary action across ECOWAS Member States,” the statement further read.
The outcomes will be presented at the next parliamentary session and forwarded to the Council of Ministers, with the aim of ensuring that regional commitments translate into meaningful protection for vulnerable children across West Africa.
