High rates of population growth in the region, inequalities, social exclusion and the depth of poverty are some challenges facing western and central Africa populations. Child poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa is extremely high. Around three-quarters of children, almost 280 million, experienced multidimensional poverty.
To address this challenge, ECOWAS and UNICEF jointly organized 23 to 25 May 2016, in Abuja, an International conference on Child Poverty and Social Protection in West and Central Africa. The conference explored the types, limitations and accomplishments of social protection policies in the region and beyond. Other strategies that can reduce child poverty, improve well-being and address inequities were examined by the participants coming from Africa, Asia, Europe and America.
This conference engendered dialogue among academics, policy makers and civil society representatives so as to expand social protection and eliminate child poverty. It also addressed specific questions about the trends, distribution, and depth of child poverty. The conference analyzed the existing social protection policies in Africa and their role to mitigate and eliminate child poverty.
In a speech made at the opening ceremony, the ECOWAS Commissioner, for Macroeconomics policies and Economic research, M. Mamadou Traoré declared that children are the future for the Nations”. He also outlined the ECOWAS Policy on child poverty and social protection and the Copenhagen Declaration which requires people-centered development process.