In 2010, the EGDC, in collaboration with the Italian Cooperation Agency for the implementation of the project to Support the Protection of Children Victims of Rights Violations (PAPEV), this initiative aims to strengthen the initiatives already undertaken at the national level against the exploitation and mistreatment of children, which need to be sustained through an integrated regional approach.

The objective of the project is to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 16 and SDG 5, by implementing the recommendations of international and regional child rights protection mechanisms. These recommendations are designed to create a safe and just environment for children who are victims of rights violations, as well as to provide them with legal, judicial, and social support within the ECOWAS space.

PAPEV has a regional dimension that enables the protection of children exposed to cross-border mobility and calls for the establishment of a regional consultation framework. This framework will involve child protection actors at the regional level and require a strong commitment from the Heads of State and Government of the countries concerned to promote national reforms in favor of children.

The ECOWAS Center for Gender Development (EGDC) has been implementing this project at the regional level by focusing on the following intervention axes:

• Axis 1: Strengthening reception services and protections for children who are victims of abuse (either by reinforcing or establishing integrated services for the protection of the rights of children who are victims of abuse and exploitation).
• Axis 2: Implementation of a pilot project involving Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Senegal, aimed at developing experiences and best practices for promoting the return of child trafficking victims through psychosocial support and assistance to their families.
• Axis 3: Organization of a high-level meeting with Heads of State, the relevant Ministers, opinion leaders, and civil society to promote national reforms.