International Day of the African Child 2021: A Day Honouring Students Who Participated in Soweto Uprising in 1976

Every year since 1991, June 16 is observed as the Day of the African Child when it was first initiated by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The International Day of the African Child honours those who took part in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. It also aims to raise awareness about the situation of children in Africa. The theme of International Day of the African Child 2021 is “Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa.”

On June 16, 1976, on Soweto, South Africa, thousands of school children marked in a column more than a mile long, in protest against the poor quality of their education. Hundreds of students were shot. More than a hundred people were killed in the demonstrations of the following two weeks.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “the day aims at raising awareness for the situation of children in African, and on the need for continuous improvement in education. It encourages people’s spirit of abundance to share something special with a child in Africa.”

Every year on June 16, governments, international organisations, NGO and other stakeholders gather to discuss challenges and opportunities “facing the full realization of the rights of children Africa.” The International Day of the African Child 2021 falls on Tuesday.