June 16 every year is the Day of the African Child. It is celebrated to create awareness about the situation of and seek solutions to the challenges faced by the children of Africa.
Across the continent, events and commemoration are held to observe the day.
Here are five reasons to continue observing the Day of the African Child:
The annual event honours the memories of students who were massacred in the Soweto Uprising in South Africa in 1976. They were protesting against education injustice and inequality in the apartheid regime.
The African Union declared the day of the African child in 1991 and it has since been observed annually to promote children’s rights and to honour the brave souls of Soweto.
In sub-Saharan Africa, over a fifth of children between the ages of 6-11 are out of school, followed by a third of youth between the ages of 12-14, according to UNESCO. Most of these children drop out of school to look for employment but the lack of skills make the venture tougher for them.
According to UNICEF, 0f the 10 countries with the highest newborn mortality rates, eight are in sub-Saharan Africa. The Central African country leads with 42 in 1000 children dying before the end of their first month. It is followed by Somalia, Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau, South Sudan, Ivory Coast, Mali and Chad.
Although Africa has made strides in the elimination of harmful cultural practices, these traditions still continue. Female genital mutilation, breast ironing, early marriages are just some of the harmful cultural traditions that put women and girls at risk.
According to UNICEF, the population of the African child will increase by 170 million between now and 2030. It, therefore, means that there is a need for investment in health care, education, and the protection and empowerment of women and girls to be able to accommodate the needs of the ever-increasing and dynamic population.
The beloved host of This Morning, Alison Hammond, is making headlines by selling off her…
Two high school students in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have earned a place in history. The…
Derek Floyd, a 36-year-old Fire Department of New York probationary fireman, died of a heart…
A 4-year-old boy fighting end-stage kidney disease lived out his dream as a cop for…
Director Abshir Rageh oversees film production at Astaan, a privately held cable television network in…
Nigerians are eagerly awaiting to welcome their "daughter" Meghan Markle's royal visit next month alongside…
Othello Larenzo Holmes has been charged with attempted indecent assault and faces five counts of…
Dylan Beard is a Howard University graduate who is currently working at a Walmart deli.…
Boxing legend Mike Tyson is not taking any chances as he prepares for his July…
LeBron James has cast uncertainty over his future with the Lakers by declining to confirm…
Four Florida teenagers were killed after they crashed a suspected stolen car during a police…
When their school bus driver experienced a medical emergency, Acie Holland III came to the…
Former UFC heavyweight champion cum professional boxer Francis Ngannou took to social media on Monday…
A 17-year-old migrant from Sudan, Abdul Usman, has attempted to cross the Channel from France…
Tatiyana, Danyelle LaShay, and Jyniah Smith -- the Smith sisters -- are some of the…