Day of the African Child

What Is the Day of the African Child?

June 16 marks the "International Day of the African Child," an international observance established in 1991 by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union. It commemorates the "Soweto Uprising," which took place in Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, and calls on the world to protect children's education and rights.

What Was the Soweto Uprising?

On June 16, 1976, in the Soweto township near Johannesburg, South Africa, students staged a protest march against apartheid policies. The demonstration began as a protest against the government's mandate that classes be taught in Afrikaans, but police responded with live ammunition. A photograph of 12-year-old Hector Pieterson, one of the first to be killed, was published around the world and helped turn international opinion against apartheid. Many children and young people were killed (176 are said to have been killed on June 16 alone, and some estimates are higher). To ensure this sacrifice would never be forgotten, June 16 was designated as an annual day of remembrance, and in South Africa it is a public holiday, Youth Day.

The Importance of Children's Rights and Education

The Day of the African Child is also an opportunity to draw attention to the discrimination, poverty, and educational inequality that continue to affect children around the world today. Each year, the African Union sets a theme and calls for action on issues such as "access to quality education," "ending child marriage," and "eliminating child poverty." By learning about this history, the day helps foster a sense of responsibility for protecting children's futures.