Today June 16 – The ABA Foundation has commemorated the Day of the African Child. On June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children took to the streets of Soweto, South Africa. In a march more than half a mile long, they protested the inferior quality of their education and demanded their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young boys and girls were shot down and killed by security forces. In the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand were injured.
To honor 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 Organization of African Unity (now the African Union). It honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to the African children.
On June 16th every year, ABA Foundation, Governments, NGOs, International Organizations and other Stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the full realization of the rights of children in Africa. For this year, the theme chosen returns to the roots of the movement: A child-friendly, quality, free, and compulsory education for all children in Africa!
