Today, we commemorate the International Day of the African Child (IDAC2023), under the theme, “The Rights of the Child in the digital environment”. The Day of the African Child (DAC) is celebrated annually on the 16th of June.
In 1991, the Assembly of Heads of State & Government of the OAU instituted the DAC in memory of the 16th June, 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa. At that time, students marched in protest against the poor quality of education they received and demanded to be taught in their languages. The DAC serves to commemorate these children and the brave action they took in defense of their rights. The DAC thus celebrates the children of Africa and calls for serious introspection and commitment toward addressing the numerous challenges facing children across the continent.
The celebration should be contextualized by Member States as a build-up to the realization of the rights of children from the family/community level to national and international levels.
Little Hands Go Green joined Treeshade Primary School to celebrate #DAC2023. During these commemorations, we ensure that children are actively engaged in shaping their future and that their voices are heard. The school celebrated the day with various activities including plays that were centered on the African culture. The pupils also got a chance to voice out their views and opinions on their rights, the environment, and the future they deserve as children. This was done through skits, poems, and more.
This afternoon, we also joined Mbuya Parents’ School in the DAC celebrations. We celebrated the day with a focus on protecting children’s rights in the digital environment. Here are some of the moments from the celebration.
