This paper focuses on the problem of sexual exploitation in and around schools throughout West Africa. It highlights a number of socio-cultural factors exacerbating and silencing this pervasive problem, as well as the absence of systematised data. This paper highlights that sexual exploitation in and around schools not only compromises a child's right to education, freedom from oppression and equality, but their long term mental and physical health, as well as affecting their ability to contribute to national development. Although there is a regional and international framework in place to protect the rights of children from such abuse, a key finding of the paper is that these rights need to be actualised by key regional and national actors in a coordinated manner.