Devatop Commemorates World Day Against Child Labour with Stakeholder Engagement in Lagos
Stakeholders from government agencies, civil society organizations, development partners, and community groups have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening protection systems for child domestic workers and addressing exploitative child domestic work in Lagos State.
The commitment was made during the commemoration of the World Day Against Child Labour, organized by Devatop Centre for Africa Development on 18 June 2026 in Festac, Lagos. The event formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen care and protection systems for child domestic workers under the programme to address exploitative child domestic work in Lagos State, supported by the Freedom Fund with funding from the U.S. Department of State.
The event brought together key actors involved in child protection, case management, referrals, and reporting. Participants included representatives of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Office of the Public Defender (OPD), Nigeria Association of Social Workers (NASoW), Child Protection Network (CPN), NACTAL, civil society organizations, community representatives, school counsellors, development partners, media practitioners, and other relevant stakeholders.
In line with the theme of this year’s World Day Against Child Labour, stakeholders discussed the trends, challenges, and drivers of child domestic work in Lagos State. The discussions highlighted the vulnerabilities faced by child domestic workers and underscored the need for stronger prevention and protection measures.
The event also provided a platform for the presentation and discussion of clear case management and referral pathways for cases involving child domestic workers. Stakeholders examined approaches to improving coordination among relevant actors and strengthening protection systems to better respond to cases involving vulnerable children. At the end of the engagement, stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to improving coordination, strengthening protection systems, and taking collective action to end the exploitation of children. They also renewed their resolve to give a “Red Card to Child Labour” as part of efforts to address exploitative child domestic work and promote the protection of children across Lagos State.
