To observe this year's Children's Day, the Mothers and Marginalised Advocacy Centre (MAMA Centre), a non-governmental organisation, has urged the strengthening of a child protection system in Nigeria.
The group emphasises the need for comprehensive measures to
safeguard children's rights and well-being across the country.
The Executive Director of MAMA Centre, Ms. Chioma B. Kanu,
who made the statement in commemoration of the 2025 International Children's
Day, which was held on Tuesday, May 27, lamented that the crucial needs of Nigerian
girls and vulnerable populations are frequently neglected.
She said, "Women and girls are disproportionately affected
by domestic servitude and are frequently trafficked internally from rural to
urban areas for sexual exploitation and into 'baby factories”.
Nigerian women and girls, she further argued, constitute a
high number of victims trafficked to Europe, particularly Italy, for sexual
exploitation. In 2021, of the 841 sex trafficking victims identified by the
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), 763
were women, while 67 of them, girls.’’
Continuing, she stressed that MAMA Centre, as an organisation, strongly condemns the critical and often overlooked needs of Nigerian girls and
vulnerable groups.
The advocacy centre also called on the Nigerian government,
international organisations, civil society groups, and the public to unite in
prioritizing the needs of children, especially girls.
“Drawing from live experiences, we urge increased awareness,
targeted interventions, and stronger protective measures to safeguard this
vulnerable population.”
Explaining the worrisome slavery index, which revealed the plight
of victims across the globe, MAMA Centre urged concerted action to stop the
development.
‘’Globally, women and girls make up the majority of victims
of modern slavery. They represent an estimated 99 percent of victims in the
commercial sex industry. The 2023 Global Slavery Index estimates that on any
given day in 2021, 1.6 million people were living in modern slavery in
Nigeria. This represents 7.8 people for every thousand people in the country.
Nigeria ranks 5th highest in Africa and 38th globally in terms of the
prevalence of modern slavery,’’ it stated.
The organisation lamented the negative effects of modern
slavery on girls who are trafficked to Europe for sexual exploitation, and
other forms of domestic servitude and sexual assault in the country.
She argued that ‘Nigerian women and girls constitute a high
number of victims trafficked to Europe, particularly Italy, for sexual
exploitation. In 2021, of the 841 sex trafficking victims identified by the
National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), 763
were women, while 67 of them girls.
‘’An estimated 30
percent of women aged 20-24 in Nigeria were first married or in a union before
the age of 18, highlighting the issues of forced marriage as a form of modern
slavery affecting girls.’’
It also stressed the intolerable vulnerability of girls and
women in conflict settings. Citing the experience in North East Nigeria, where
the girl-child and some boys were abused and violently exploited, MMA Centre
said the International Children's Day should be a time to reflect on the plight
of all vulnerable children and bring hope to them.
‘’ Studies indicate that children form the largest group of
victims of trafficking in Nigeria, both internally and externally. In 2020,
NAPTIP reported four cases of children exploited in the commercial sex
industry, with another five cases in the first half of 2021. In the context of
the conflict in North East Nigeria, between 2017 and 2019, the UN verified that
204 children (195 girls and 9 boys) were affected by sexual violence, including
exploitation, slavery, and forced marriage, attributed to Boko Haram and Nigerian
Security Forces.
According to reports, Boko Haram kidnapped over 1,000
children in Nigeria since 2013, with girls often forced into sexual slavery and
"marriage" with fighters.
Girls and children in Nigeria are subjected to various forms
of modern slavery, including forced labour, a situation where children are in
domestic service, often as "house girls," facing abuse. There is also
exploitation of young girls to produce children for sale, also known as
"Baby Factories."
The organisation bemoaned that the issues mentioned earlier are deeply intertwined with modern slavery. We understand the insidious ways in
which vulnerability can be exploited," said Kanu.
"International Children's Day should be a time of
celebration and hope, but for countless girls in Nigeria, it is a stark
reminder of the dangers they face daily. We cannot stand idly by while their
futures are stolen."
She demanded attention to several key areas requiring urgent
action, such as education and empowerment.
‘’We advocate for
increased investment in girls' education, scholarships for Marginalised
communities, and programs that promote financial independence for women,’ she added.
