Day of the African Child

Day of the African Child is a day recognized throughout the world on June 16th as an opportunity to reflect on progress toward health, education, equality and protection for all the African children.

Although Africa accounts for only 22 percent of births globally, half of the 10 million child deaths annually occur on the continent. Furthermore, 38 million children of primary school age in Africa still remain out of school.

Day of the African Child is organised by the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) to commemorate the 1976 Soweto protests, when thousands of black schoolchildren took to the streets under the South African apartheid regime.

The AU is Africa's premier institution and principal organization for the promotion of accelerated socio-economic integration of the continent, which will lead to greater unity and solidarity between African countries and peoples.