In Soweto, South Africa, thousands of black school children took to the streets in 1976, in a march more than half a mile long, to protest against the inferior quality of their education and to demand their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young boys and girls were shot down; and in the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand were injured.

To honour the memory of those killed and the courage of all those who marched, the Day of the African Child has been celebrated on 16 June every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity. The Day also draws attention to the lives of African children today. This year’s theme is ‘child trafficking'.

This day has also become an opportunity to examine progress towards health, education, equality and security for all African children and on the implementation of the regional African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, which entered into force in November 1999, is the first regional treaty on the human rights of children. The Charter complements the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, taking into account social and cultural values of Africa and offering protection against violations of children’s rights. Its implementation is supervised by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Further information

Previous Events (annual) items

• 12/06/2007: Highlighting Emerging Practices and Considerations in School-Related Gender-Based Violence
• 12/06/2007: Día Mundial contra el Trabajo Infantil
• 02/06/2007: World Day for Responsible and respectful tourism; No to sexual tourism, a crime without borders’’
• 23/04/2007: Global Action Week - JOIN UP! Education Rights Now!
• 08/03/2007: International Women's Day 2007

Last updated 05/06/2007 08:16:22