The founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Cece Yara Foundation, Mrs. Bisi Kayode, has called on the media to frame and set an agenda on the plight of child domestic workers (Omo Odo), from abuse and exploitation.

She made the call during a media consultative forum organised by CeCe Yara Child Advocacy Center, in conjunction with Street Protect Foundation (SPF) and Freedom Fund, UK. Mrs. Kayode noted that several abuses are perpetrated against domestic workers by their employers and guardians, such as physical abuses- bullying, kicking, throwing of objects, violence; emotional abuses like trafficking, name calling, stigmatization, and criminal abuses – rape and eventual death. Half of Nigeria’s child workers, most especially girl children who have experienced violence, are unreported by the media.

The Founder and Visioner of Street Project Foundation (SPF), Mrs Rita Ezenwa- Okoro, represented by the Chief Executive of SPF, Mrs Eduvielawhe Olutimayin, stated that “Nigerian press must champion the plight of child domestic workers (Omo Odo), especially if the abuse involves a spouse or another powerful member, a law enforcement officer, or community leader.

Also, she said: “Over 3000 children died as a result of homicide, punishment in their various homes, adding that between 20-65 percent of domestic workers have been verbally or physically bullied in the past 30 days”.

Over 50million mostly girl-children under 18 have experienced forced sexual abuses and other forms of exploitation, according to Global Initiatives to end Corporal Punishment The media consultative Nigeria Hotspot Program, with the theme “Exploitative Child Domestic Work: A Consultative Forum Amplifying Voices- Using Media to Drive Change Against Exploitative Child Domestic Work was sponsored by Freedom Fund and the Gift of the US Government.