The Day of the African Child (DAC) was launched by the Assembly of Heads of State of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1991 to be commemorated on 16 June each year. The DAC pays tribute to the 1976 student uprising in Soweto, South Africa, which resulted in the killings of students who demonstrated against the poor quality of education they received and demanding to be taught in their own language by the apartheid regime. Over the years, the Day has been an opportunity for all stakeholders and actors involved in the protection and promotion of children's rights in Africa to come together, to consolidate common goals and to tackle the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving an Africa fit for its children.
As guardian of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC/Committee) has spearheaded the commemoration of the DAC since 2002. The ACERWC is an Organ of the African Union established in accordance with articles 32 and 33 of the ACRWC mandated to promote and protect the rights and welfare of the child in Africa and monitor its implementation. Each year, the Committee identifies a relevant theme for the Day, which is further adopted by the Executive Council of the AU, organizes and coordinates activities and events to commemorate the Day at continental level.
The purpose of this concept note is to provide guidance to Member States on the main objectives of the theme, and the various measures that should be undertaken by States in the celebration of the theme. The Committee notes that the DAC provides an opportunity for children, Member States, policy makers, organisations and other stakeholders on the continent working on children's issues to review and evaluate efforts, policies and programmes aimed to protect and promote children's rights considering the theme. The DAC is called for serious introspection and commitment to addressing the many challenges facing African children.
The Committee decided that the year 2025 DAC will be commemorated under the theme "Planning and budgeting for children's rights: progress since 2010". The theme is aimed at assessing the level of progress achieved in mainstreaming a children’s issues in planning and budgeting by Member States of the AU and further encourage States to assess and reform their mechanisms of budgeting and planning to adopt a child rights-based approach.
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