11/04/2026
The ECOWAS Parliament high level joint committee on “Parliamentary Approaches to Safeguarding Children in Street Situations and Addressing Child Exploitation in the ECOWAS Region.” has just concluded in Freetown Sierra Leone.
The Consortium For Street Children Regional Advocacy Platform: theWest Africa Strategic Advocacy Group ( ) and the Network for Street‑Connected Children in Sierra Leone ( ) comprising Don Bosco, Future Focus Foundation, Laughter Africa, St George Foundation and Street Child Sierra Leone were at the heart of these landmark discussions - driving solutions to close protection gaps and advance safe and meaningful child participation.
This network of civil society spoke with one voice calling for national strategies to align with UNCRC General Comment No. 21, to decriminalise survival behaviours, and to remove barriers to essential services such as legal identity, education, healthcare, social protection and justice.
It is no gain saying that children in street situations are among the most marginalised and at‑risk in West Africa, facing pervasive stigma, extreme poverty, violence, exploitation, and systemic discrimination.
It was amazing and insightful to see some Street Champions who have stood the test of time explaining lived experiences and successes through resilience.
Members of the Joint Committee of the ECOWAS Parliament expressed commendation to the respective organization's working with children in Street Situations and also sought clarifications on the network presentation while showering accolades on the resilience and progress made by the children so far. The chairperson of the joint committee Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay acknowledge receipt of the network recommendation and promised to relay them to the ECOWAS Commission.
The National Team Lead and CEO, Amb. Sylvestre Sidie Mohamed Kallon expressed worrying premonition over the spate at which girls are transmitting into Street situations in the eastern part of Sierra Leone which he aluded to pervasive sequel gender based violence particularly Intimate Partner Violence which breed community stigma, unwanted pregnancy and early child care, and health complications for both the teen mother's and their children.
The Team Lead informed the ECOWAS Parliament that Future Focus Foundation through partner support provides flexible alternative education, economic empowerment through business grants, savings and loan scheme, childcare and startup kits among others. He reiterated the need for urgent support as the donor land scape continues to shrink.
Other heads of organization in the network also made presentations and clarifications on issues raised by the honourable members of the ECOWAS Parliament.
Consortium for Street Children Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone - HRCSL UNICEF Sierra Leone Future Focus Foundation Street Girls AID ChildHope Global Fund for Children Tools for Self ECOWAS Parliament
