Abakaliki
A call has gone out to governments in the continent of Africa to rise up to the growing challenges of child neglect, exploitation and abuse, and ensure that every child in Africa has unhindered access to water, sanitation and hygiene.
This call was contained in a speech delivered by Prof. Joy Ezeilo,Founding Executive Director, Women Aid Collective (WACOL) and Tamar SARC, Convener, West and Central African Women’s Rights Coalition (WAWORC), to commemorate the 2026 Day of African child, with the Theme: 'Ensuring universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene for every child in Africa and with
WACOL Sub-Theme: Child Neglect, Exploitation and Abuse: A Growing Crisis.
Prof. Ezeilo described the Day of African Child as significant occasion for reflection, accountability and renewed commitment to the rights, welfare, protection and development of children across the continent, and demanded for urgent effort to ensure that no child in Africa should be denied dignity, access to education or safety due to lack of clean water and safe sanitation.
“No child should be denied dignity, education or safety because of lack of clean water, safe sanitation, parental neglect or abuse. Protecting children must move from promises to practical action in our schools, homes, communities and public institutions".
According to her, this year’s theme, “Ensuring universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene for every child in Africa,” adopted by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), underscores an urgent continental priority: every child must have reliable access to safe water, dignified sanitation and basic hygiene services. The theme also aligns with the African Union’s 2026 focus on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation systems as essential foundations for health, dignity, education, resilience and inclusive development.
Her speech reads in part;
WASH as a Child Rights Imperative
Access to clean water, adequate sanitation and proper hygiene is not merely a development concern; it is a fundamental child rights issue. It is directly linked to the rights to life, survival, health, education, dignity and protection. When children lack safe WASH facilities, their health, learning, safety and future opportunities are placed at risk.
The absence of safe water and functional sanitation facilities in schools directly affects children’s educational outcomes, including safety and well-being. Many children, particularly those in rural and underserved communities, learn in environments without clean water, handwashing facilities or safe toilets. This contributes to absenteeism, poor concentration, sexual violence, preventable illness, malnutrition and, in some cases, school dropout. Without safe WASH systems, children remain vulnerable to water-borne diseases and other health complications that threaten their growth and development.
Girls are disproportionately affected. The lack of private, safe and hygienic sanitation facilities prevents many adolescent girls from attending school during menstruation, disrupting their education and limiting their opportunities for advancement. Some girls have also been raped and violated trying to answer the call of nature in the bush because of the absence of toilets and sanitary facilities in Schools. In many communities, girls also bear the burden of water collection, exposing them to safety risks and reducing the time available for learning, rest, and recreation.
WACOL’s School Sensitization Activities in Enugu State and Girls Will Project
In line with this year’s commemoration, WACOL conducted sensitization activities in three schools representing the three senatorial zones of Enugu State: Opi High School, Community Secondary School Imezi Owa and New Haven Secondary School. These engagements brought together teachers and students to raise awareness about children’s rights, personal hygiene, child protection, safeguarding and reporting pathways.
Our observations during these visits reaffirmed that many schools, especially in rural communities, continue to operate with inadequate sanitary facilities. This makes it difficult for children to learn in safe, healthy and dignified environments. These findings call for stronger collaboration among government, school authorities, communities and development partners to improve WASH infrastructure, hygiene education and child safeguarding systems in schools.
Child Neglect, Exploitation and Abuse: A Growing Crisis
While recognizing the importance of WASH, WACOL also draws attention to a closely related and growing concern captured in our sub-theme: “Child Neglect, Exploitation and Abuse: A Growing Crisis.” Children cannot fully enjoy their rights to health, education and dignity where they are exposed to violence, neglect, exploitation or harmful practices.
Across Nigeria and many parts of Africa, children are increasingly exposed to multiple and overlapping forms of harm arising from poverty, insecurity, displacement, environmental pressures, weak protection systems and the rapid expansion of digital technology.
Findings from the Her Voice regional research carried out by WACOL under the UN Women West and Central Africa Office (WCARO) and European Union-funded project conducted across Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria and Togo, reveal a growing intersection between climate change, resource scarcity, displacement, economic insecurity, digitalisation and violence. These factors affect women and girls and also create new vulnerabilities for children.
Emerging Drivers of Child Vulnerability.
Climate shocks and resource scarcity
Environmental stress and economic hardship can push families into survival strategies that increase the risk of child labour, school dropout, child trafficking, early marriage and other harmful practices. Displacement caused by climate-related challenges and insecurity further disrupts children’s education and exposes them to abuse and exploitation.
Digital risks: As internet access expands, children face increased exposure to cyberbullying, online grooming, sexual exploitation, cyberstalking and other forms of technology-facilitated abuse. Many families, schools and communities still lack the knowledge, tools and reporting mechanisms needed to protect children in digital spaces and hold perpetrators accountable.
Family breakdown and parental conflict: WACOL is particularly concerned about the impact of parental separation and divorce on children. In many cases, children become silent victims of family disputes. Rather than prioritizing the best interests of the child, some parents use custody, access, maintenance and welfare issues as bargaining tools in conflicts with former spouses. This subjects children to emotional distress, neglect, instability and psychological harm at critical stages of development.
WACOL Case Management Data: January to Early June 2026
These concerns are reinforced by the realities WACOL encounters daily through its case management and child protection services. From January to early June 2026, WACOL responded to 507 cases. Of these, 238 cases, nearly half, involved children. The reported concerns included child exploitation, trafficking, child abuse, rape, defilement, incest, early and forced marriage, child neglect, and lack of maintenance and welfare.
A closer analysis shows that lack of maintenance and welfare accounted for 214 cases, making it the most prevalent child protection concern reported to WACOL during the period. In addition, 14 cases involved rape, defilement or incest; 7 cases involved trafficking and child abuse; and 3 cases involved early and forced marriage. These figures are not merely statistics; they represent children whose rights, safety and wellbeing have been compromised and who require urgent protection, support and justice.
Children should never be used as instruments of revenge, negotiation or control in family disputes. Their welfare, safety, emotional wellbeing and best interests must remain paramount at all times.
Call to Action
As we commemorate the Day of the African Child, WACOL calls on governments, policymakers, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, educational institutions, parents and community stakeholders to take urgent and coordinated action to:
Invest in climate-resilient, child-responsive WASH infrastructure, particularly in rural schools, health facilities and underserved communities.
Ensure safe, private, inclusive and hygienic sanitation facilities for girls, children with disabilities and other vulnerable learners.
Strengthen child protection systems to prevent and respond to neglect, abuse, exploitation, trafficking, harmful practices and gender-based violence affecting children.
Improve digital safety education, reporting channels and accountability mechanisms to protect children from online abuse and technology-facilitated exploitation.
Promote child-centred responses in cases of parental separation and divorce, ensuring that custody, maintenance and welfare decisions are guided by the best interests of the child.
Increase public awareness of children’s rights, parental responsibilities and available remedies under national, regional and international child protection frameworks.
Prioritize children’s voices and participation in decisions affecting their lives, schools, safety and futures.
Allocate adequate budgets for school WASH, child protection services, community sensitization and survivor-centred response systems.
Conclusion: No Child Must Be Left Behind.
The Day of the African Child is not just a commemoration; it's a call to action. Every child deserves access to clean water, safe sanitation, quality education, protection from violence, and an environment that allows them to survive, thrive, and reach their full potential.
WACOL remains committed to advancing the rights, welfare, and protection of every child. We will continue to collaborate with communities, institutions, government agencies, and development partners to strengthen prevention efforts, improve response systems, and ensure that no child is left behind.
We must recognize that children’s rights are fundamental human rights. It is crucial to protect every child and take action to ensure that no child is overlooked.
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