Day of the African Child

Today is the 40^th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising, when thousands of black schoolchildren living in Soweto, South Africa, marched in protest at the poor quality of their education and demanded the right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young protesters were massacred by the Apartheid regime in South Africa, and thousands were injured in the protests that followed. The Organisation of African Unity initiated the Day of the African Child on the anniversary of the Uprising in 1991, and it has been celebrated on June 16^th ever since. Events associated with the anniversary aim to raise awareness of the educational challenges facing African children. The Day of the African Child 2017 addresses the theme of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for Children in Africa and will discuss “Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunities for children in Africa by 2030″.