The Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the OAU Organisation of African Unity. It honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children. In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long, protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young students were shot, the most famous of which being

Hector Pieterson Zolile Hector Pieterson (19 August 1964 – 16 June 1976) was a South African schoolboy who was shot and killed at the age of twelve during the Soweto uprising, when the police opened fire on black students protesting the enforcement of teach ...

(see image). More than a hundred people were killed in the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were injured. On June 16 every year, governments, NGOs, international organisations and other stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the full realization of the

rights of children Children's rights are a subset of human rights with particular attention to the rights of special protection and care afforded to minors.

in Africa. For 2014, the theme chosen returns to the roots of the movement: ''A child-friendly, quality,

free Free may refer to: Concept * Freedom, having the ability to do something, without having to obey anyone/anything * Freethought, a position that beliefs should be formed only on the basis of logic, reason, and empiricism * Emancipate, to procur ...

, and

compulsory education Compulsory education refers to a period of education that is required of all people and is imposed by the government. This education may take place at a registered school or at other places. Compulsory school attendance or compulsory schooling ...

for all children in Africa''

External links

* {{official, http://www.dayoftheafricanchild.org
BNF Youth League Commemorates Day of African Child
by Arafat Khan, June 16, 2009
June 16: International Day of the African Child
by Adesoji Adegbulu, June 14, 2014 Protests June observances

See also

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