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The Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, has called on the ECOWAS Parliament to take a leading role in addressing the growing challenges facing vulnerable children across the region.
Delivering a keynote address on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, at the Joint Committee Sitting of the Sixth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament, held at the Foreign Service Academy in Freetown, Speaker Thomas emphasised the urgent need for a coordinated regional approach to tackle child exploitation and the plight of children in street situations.
Speaking on the theme “Parliamentary Approaches to Safeguarding Children in Street Situations and Addressing Child Exploitation in the ECOWAS Region,” the Speaker proposed developing a comprehensive regional legislative model on child protection. He also advocated for stronger cross-border mechanisms to combat child trafficking and exploitation, alongside the establishment of a regional monitoring and evaluation system to track progress.
Speaker Thomas further underscored the importance of sustained investment in education, vocational training, and family support systems as key pillars in addressing the root causes of child vulnerability.
Through legislative strengthening, he urged the regional parliament to ensure that laws are not only robust and aligned with international conventions but also effectively enforced.
“Laws must not only exist, but they must be enforceable and enforced,” he stressed.
The Speaker also highlighted the need for enhanced oversight and accountability, calling on legislators to rigorously monitor the implementation of child protection policies. He emphasized that budgetary allocations for social welfare, education, and rehabilitation programmes must be critically assessed to match the scale of the challenge.
Describing the issue as one that goes beyond welfare, Speaker Thomas linked the plight of vulnerable children to broader concerns of human rights, sustainable development, public security, and social justice.
“Every child forced into the streets is a silent indictment of our governance systems, and a call to action,” he affirmed.
He noted that child exploitation often transcends national borders, with trafficking networks operating across jurisdictions, making regional cooperation indispensable.
Speaker Thomas painted a grim picture of the conditions faced by many children living on the streets, noting that they are frequently denied access to education, healthcare, family support, and protection from violence, abuse, and neglect.
He concluded by reaffirming Sierra Leone’s commitment to safeguarding children and called for collective regional action.
“Together, let us build a region where no child is left to survive on the streets, and where every child is afforded the dignity, protection, and opportunity they deserve,” he said.
