The Centre for Legal Orientation and Humanitarian Aid Initiative (CELOHA Nigeria) and the West Africa Network for the Protection of Children (WAN Network) have called for urgent and collective action to end child labour.
The group warn that millions of children across Nigeria and West Africa are still being denied their rights and childhoods.
In a statement issued to mark the 2026 International Day Against Child Labour, observed annually on June 12, the organisations said every child deserves access to education, healthcare, protection, recreation, and a safe environment to grow and develop.
The groups expressed concern that many children continue to work in hazardous conditions instead of attending school, exposing them to exploitation, trafficking, violence, and long-term deprivation.
According to the statement, child labour is not merely an economic challenge but a serious violation of children’s rights and a major obstacle to sustainable development.
“Every child deserves a childhood, not a workplace,” the organisations stated, stressing that ending child labour requires the involvement of governments, communities, civil society organisations, traditional and religious leaders, the private sector, and families.
CELOHA Nigeria and WAN Network urged stakeholders to strengthen the enforcement of child protection and child labour laws, invest in quality and accessible education, tackle poverty and other root causes of child labour, and protect vulnerable children from exploitation, trafficking, abuse, and neglect.
The organisations also called for increased community awareness and improved reporting mechanisms to safeguard children from harm.
Reaffirming their commitment to child rights advocacy, CELOHA Nigeria and WAN Network pledged to continue promoting policies and programmes that place children at the centre of national and regional development.
The groups urged governments and citizens to work together to create a future where children can learn, dream, play, and reach their full potential rather than being forced into labour for survival.
They renewed appeal for collective efforts to end child labour and ensure the protection of every child.
