BREAKING: NCWS Demands Urgent Legislation to End Girl-Child Street Hawking in Kebbi State

The Kebbi State branch of the National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) has urged a complete prohibition on young girls engaging in street hawking, citing its dangers and negative moral impacts.

Council President Hajiya Hadiza Muhammed Kola expressed concern over the growing number of young girls selling goods on the streets.

She warned that this trend makes them vulnerable to risks, including sexual abuse, early transactional sex, and other forms of exploitation.

“It is troubling that young girls are left to roam the streets in the name of supporting their families. In many cases, this leads to prostitution, rape, and child labour,” she said, adding that the NCWS is intensifying advocacy to curb the practice.

Kola refuted the common notion that poverty is the sole cause, noting that many women have taken advantage of government support programs such as home gardening projects. She explained that some women now earn enough to provide for their families, eliminating the need for their daughters to resort to street hawking.

The NCWS also disclosed that it is in talks with the Kebbi State House of Assembly to explore legislation aimed at banning street hawking by young girls throughout the state.

“We are proposing a law that will impose tough penalties on defaulters to serve as a deterrent,” she added.