Children's Projects

• Prevention, Withdrawal and Rehabilitation of Working Children:
  Through a systematic process, HDI has been securing the prevention, withdrawal and rehabilitation of several working children in various parts of South-West Nigeria.  Several child bus conductors were withdrawn from motor parks within Lagos Mainland L.G.A. between 2001 and 2003.   Some children working on cocoa farms in parts of Ondo State have also been withdrawn and rehabilitated.  Presently, 800 child domestics are bring prevented, withdrawn and rehabilitated.  Some of these working children have been assisted to begin or return to  formal education.  Other children withdrawn have been placed with vocational trainers of their choice and they have been graduating.  These youths who have graduated from the vocational training of their choice are assisted to acquire tools of their trade. For more on withdrawal and rehabilitation of working children, see News

• Economic Empowerment of Parents / Guardians of Working Children:
  Parents/guardians of the withdrawn and rehabilitated working children are also trained on life skills and cottage industry as a form of sustainable development. Those who are qualified thereafter benefit from the micro-credit scheme set up under the HDI Empowerment Trust Fund.

• Children’s Creative Camp Meeting:
  A creative camp meeting organized by HDI in conjunction with UNICEF was held for 40 children in September 2000. The aim was to provide opportunities for children to participate in developmental and constructive activities as well as acquire skills to face challenges in life better.  Another camp is being organized to take place during the 2005 summer holiday.

• Global Movement for Children:
  UNICEF initiated a global force for children in year 2000. The movement, tagged ‘The Global Movement for Children’, reached out through a ‘Say Yes for Children Campaign’. NGOs that participated in the movement, which was championed by world leaders like Nelson Mandela, include HDI, Child-To-Child Network, (CCN), Constitutional Rights Project (CRP), Action Health Incorporated (AHI), Child Life-Line (CLL) and Nigerian Youths AIDS Programme (NYAP). A formal launching of the movement took place during the year 2000 Day of the African Child celebration organized by HDI in collaboration with UNICEF.

• Day of the African Child:
  June 16th of every year marks the United Nation’s Day of the African Child. In 1999, HDI hosted a youth forum promoting “Peace Education” among young people. This created more awareness on the need for youths to seek peace and not violence in resolving conflicts and also allow for the security of lives in Africa.

• Street Children's Project: In collaboration with Consortium for Street Children UK, HDI conducted an advocacy project on 'The Human Rights of Street Children Within Juvenile Justice Systems'. The project resulted in an authoritative publication, Street Children and The Juvenile Justice System in Lagos State. For more details, see Publications.

• Legislative Advocacy on Children's Bill: HDI is one of the major advocates who lobbied extensively for the passage of the Child Rights Bill.  It was one of the organizing partners that carried out the children's street campaign in Lagos, Nigeria to push the Legislature to pass the bill at the federal level. It continues to be a major partner with UNICEF to advocate for the passage of the bill at the state level. HDI also conducts public education seminars on the Convection on the Rights of the Child.