The African Union (AU) on Tuesday used the commemoration of the International Day of the African Child to urge “extensive consultation with children” to reach a fair system and conditions on the continent.
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To celebrate the children of Africa and calls for serious introspection and commitment towards addressing the numerous challenges they face in Africa, the DAC 2020 theme’s will reflect on ‘Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa’ as adopted by the African Union Executive Council, during its 34th Ordinary Session, held on 07 – 08 February 2019.
Generally, children have fewer rights and less responsibilities than adults. African Union (AU) said it was time for African leaders to work unanimously in implementing a child-friendly justice system to restore hope and confidence in every African child.
“The Day of the African Child was first conceptualized by the heads of state and governments of the then OAU as a commemoration of the 16th June 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa. At that time, students marched in protest against the apartheid-inspired and the poor quality of education they received, and demanded to be taught in their own languages. The march resulted in the public killing of many unarmed young protesters by the police,” said AU’s Commissioner for Social Affairs H.E. Amira Elfadil Mohammed Elfadil.
The theme draws urgent attention to African governments to develop strategies to improve child justice systems and take bold steps to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights of all children is prioritised.
“Hence, commemorating this day, I call upon Member States and Stakeholders, in extensive consultation with children, to work together towards deliberately establishing, or strengthening, a comprehensive and coherent national policy and strategy for ‘Children in the Justice System’ which shall consider the interrelatedness of the challenges that children in contact with the law are facing,” she said.
The Day of the African Child serves to commemorate these children and the brave action they took in defence of their right. DAC thus celebrates the children of Africa and calls for a serious introspection and commitment towards addressing the numerous challenges facing children across the continent.
In 1991, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the then OAU instituted the Day of the African Child (DAC) in memory of the 16th June 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa. Nearly ten thousand black students from Soweto, South Africa, marched the streets to protest the poor quality of their education, demanded to be taught in their own languages, and demonstrated their disapproval of the Black Education Act, which segregated students based on their race.
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