For many children, feeling safe is more than having a roof over their heads or sitting in a classroom. It is knowing that when something is wrong, there is someone who will listen, believe them and help.
That message is at the heart of Lagos State’s 2026 Safeguarding and Child Protection Week, an initiative designed to give children the confidence to speak up when they feel unsafe.
With the theme “My Silence Ends Here,” the five-day programme, which began on September 21 and runs until September 25, is reaching children across the state’s six education districts. More than 1,500 children are expected to participate in activities focused on child safeguarding, protection and awareness.
Rather than simply telling children to be careful, the initiative is creating a space where they can understand their rights and learn that their voices matter.
At the opening ceremony held at the Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board Hall in Maryland, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, emphasized the importance of creating an environment where children can talk about abuse without fear.
Her message reflects a simple but powerful idea: children should never have to face difficult experiences alone.
For a child who has been afraid to speak, knowing that an adult is ready to listen can bring a sense of relief. For another, learning where to seek help can provide the confidence to report a troubling situation before it becomes worse.
Schools also have an important role in creating this sense of security.
The Executive Chairman of LASUBEB, Dr Hakeem Babatunde Shittu, described schools as critical spaces for safeguarding children and called on education stakeholders to remain alert and responsive to concerns involving child abuse and protection.
When teachers, parents, communities and institutions work together, children are given more than education. They are given an environment where they can learn, grow and express themselves with greater confidence.
The Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, also reminded stakeholders that protecting children is a shared responsibility. She encouraged children to speak whenever they feel unsafe, reassuring them that their voices matter.
That reassurance is perhaps one of the most important lessons of the initiative.
A child who knows that speaking up will be met with care rather than fear can begin to see reporting as an act of courage. A school that listens can become a place of comfort. A community that responds can become a source of protection.
The programme also highlights the importance of collaboration, bringing together government institutions, schools, families, communities and other stakeholders in the effort to create safer spaces for children.
Messages from education officials and representatives of the private sector further reinforced the need for sustained attention to child safeguarding.
Ultimately, child protection is about creating a future in which children can enjoy their childhood without being burdened by fear or silence.
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When a child finds the courage to say, “Something is wrong,” the response should be one of listening, support and action.
And when children discover that their voices can be heard, they are not only being protected, they are being empowered to grow with greater confidence, hope and a stronger belief in their own worth.
For every child who learns that they do not have to suffer in silence, there is a reason to smile.
Their silence can end here. Their voices can be heard. And their future can be safer.
