The Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the OAU Organisation of African Unity. It honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children.
In Soweto, South Africa,
on June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children marched in a
column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their
education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language.
Hundreds of young students were shot, the most famous of which being
Hector Peterson. More than a hundred people were killed in
the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were
injured.
On June 16th every year, governments, NGOs, international
organisations and other stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges
and opportunities facing the full realization of the rights of children Africa. For 2016, the theme chosen returns to the roots of the movement“ Conflict and Crisis in Africa: Protecting all Children’s Rights”
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