Agenda 2040

With a view of fostering an Africa Fit for Children, the Committee developed Africa’s Agenda for Children 2040 (Agenda 2040) in 2015. The development of the Agenda was inspired by a conference held in 2015 as part of the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the African Children’s Charter to assess the situation of children in Africa in past 25 years. The Agenda emerged as an outcome of the conference but mainly as an elaboration of the bigger part of Agenda 2063 which aims at empowering African children through the full implementation of the African Children’s Charter. Agenda 2040 has been adopted by the Executive Council of the AU through its decision no EX.CL/Dec.997(XXXI) as an Africa Union document.

Agenda 2040 establishes aspirations for children for the coming 25 years based on the lessons learnt from the past 25 years. By 2040, the rights of Africa’s children should be firmly protected, with full effect being given to the priorities in this Agenda.

The Agenda sets out the following ten aspirations, to be achieved by 2040, against a brief background contextualizing the particular issue.

  • Aspiration 1: The African Children’s Charter, as supervised by the African Children’s Committee, provides an effective continental framework for advancing children’s rights
  • Aspiration 2: An effective child-friendly national legislative, policy and institutional framework is in place in all Member States
  • Aspiration 3: Every child’s birth and other vital statistics are registered
  • Aspiration 4: Every child survives and has a healthy childhood
  • Aspiration 5: Every child grows up well-nourished and with access to the basic necessities of life
  • Aspiration 6: Every child benefits fully from quality education
  • Aspiration 7: Every child is protected against violence, exploitation, neglect and abuse
  • Aspiration 8: Children benefit from a child-sensitive criminal system
  • Aspiration 9: Every child is free from the impact of armed conflicts and other disasters or emergency situations
  • Aspiration 10: African children’s views matter