Founder of Street Project Foundation (SPF), Mrs Rita Ezenwa-Okoro has called for the protection of child domestic workers and vulnerable children in the country.
She shared insights from recent research conducted by the Freedom Fund in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago in February 2024 which revealed that a staggering 88.9 percent of Child Domestic Workers (CDWs) reported working conditions that violated the Nigerian Labour Act and Child Rights Act.
Ezenwa-Okoro who made the disclosure during a media parley held in Lagos stated that, “as the World marks Children’s Day come May 27, note that one in three CDWs popularly referred to as ‘Omo Odo’ or house helps work more than 30 hours per week, and one in five work more than 42 hours per week making it difficult for them to pursue qualitative education and a healthy social life.
“Three out of five house helps are that the children have a kinship relationship with the household where they work, with those living with relatives less likely to receive a wage compared to those without such relationships.”
Ezenwa-Okoro further disclosed that “with funding support from the US Department of State and Freedom Fund, our NGO, Street Project Foundation has expanded its use of creative arts through the advocacy movement to combat the exploitation and abuse of Child Domestic Workers (CDWs) to create a safer environment for vulnerable children.”
According to her, by collaborating with the US Department of State, the Freedom Fund, the Devatop Centre for Africa Development, and the Centre for the Advancement and Protection of the Rights of Vulnerable People (Caprights-VP) we are working to protect CDWs in Lagos State with a pilot focus on sensitizing stakeholders in communities like Oworonsoki and Festac Town.
“We recently selected 25 talented youth from the Oworonshoki community and conducted a three-week non-residential boot camp where they were trained by child-protection experts. With insights about the plights of former Child Domestic Workers from their collective, they co-created a community theatre production titled ‘Omo Odo’ to raise awareness and sensitize Nigerians on the increasing abuse and maltreatment of CDWs.”
Corroborating Ezenwa-Okoro’s view, the chief operations officer of Street Project Foundation, Eduvielawhe Olutimayin stated that, “the Nigerian media needs to set an agenda and cast a light on the plight of CDWs who are vulnerable and often invisible.”
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