If Tenancy Agreements Can Say “No Pets Allowed,” Why Not Protect Children? CAPRIGHTS-VP Pushes New Safeguarding Clause

Many cases of child abuse, neglect and exploitation happen behind the walls and doors of homes, away from public view. This hidden reality is driving a new advocacy by the Center for the Advancement and Protection of the Rights of Vulnerable People (CAPRIGHTS-VP) for the inclusion of child protection clauses in estate constitutions, governing rules and tenancy agreements.

The initiative, carried out under the Freedom Fund Protect Child Domestic Workers from Exploitation Programme, recently reached Goodluck Jonathan Estate, Isheri-Idimu, Lagos, where CAPRIGHTS-VP engaged landlords and tenants on their shared responsibility to protect children, particularly child domestic workers.

The advocacy makes a simple but compelling point: if tenancy covenants can expressly state “no pets allowed,” then the protection of children,the most vulnerable members of the human family deserves even greater attention in the rules governing where people live.

A child protection clause may appear to be only a paragraph in a constitution or tenancy agreement, but it can serve as an important first step towards prevention. It places residents on notice that abuse, neglect, exploitation, trafficking and other forms of violence against children are unacceptable and should not be ignored as private household matters.

This is especially important because children living or working within homes may be largely invisible to formal protection systems. For child domestic workers, abuse and exploitation can continue for long periods behind closed doors unless neighbours, landlords, estate leaders and other residents understand the warning signs and know when and where to report concerns.

With over 4,000 residents in Goodluck Jonathan Estate, the potential impact of such advocacy is significant. If the same approach is replicated across estates and communities in Alimosho Local Government Area and beyond, thousands more people can be reached.

Beyond creating awareness, such interventions can raise public consciousness about child protection and safeguarding as a shared responsibility.

The proposed clauses should therefore be supported by clear reporting platforms and referral pathways, linking communities with relevant government agencies and child protection organisations.

CAPRIGHTS-VP’s advocacy reflects a broader preventive approach: child protection should not begin only after abuse has occurred. It should be embedded in the systems, rules and everyday structures of the communities where children live.

If estate constitutions can regulate security, sanitation, noise, parking and pets, they can also make room for something far more fundamental,the safety, dignity and protection of every child.

Protecting children must move beyond good intentions. It should become part of the rules by which our communities live.