World Children’s Day 2024: Africa’s Christian Professionals Push for “laws, charters, policies” Prioritizing Children

The highlight further indicates that children from countries participating in the 2024 Regional World Children’s Day would “present an updated Call-for-Action and hold their governments accountable for the commitments made to promoting child rights.”

The choice to have the celebrations on a weekend (November 15-17) instead of the usual November 20, this year being Wednesday, was “to ensure the commemorations have minimal interference with children’s education,” according to the highlight about the 2024 annual event that was held in Zimbabwe’s Victoria Falls. 

Besides the host country, other Southern African nations that participated in the three-day 2024 Regional World Children’s Day commemorations included Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zambia, all SADC member countries.

In their November 18 statement, Africa’s Christian professional laud SADC and its member nations “for their unwavering commitment to children’s rights and well-being.”

ACPF members say that the “presence of over 7,000 children at the event reaffirms the region’s dedication to the shared objectives of the AU Agenda 2063, specifically Aspiration 6, which envisions an Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of its children and youth.”

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World Children’s Day 2024: Africa’s Christian Professionals Push for “laws, charters, policies” Prioritizing Children

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The event of the 2024 Regional World Children’s Day commemorations, they say, “aligns with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), adopted by the African Union (AU), which emphasizes the protection, development, and participation of children as essential to Africa's socio-economic progress.”

Africa’s Christian professionals laud activities participants engaged in during the three-day commemorations, which included chess and golf tournaments and cultural exchanges among others. 

These activities, they say, “reflect the spirit of Article 12 of the UNCRC, which promotes children’s participation in matters that affect their lives.”

The activities, ACPF members further say, are aligned with the “SADC Protocol on Education and Training, which encourages regional collaboration in nurturing talent and creativity among young people.”

In their November 18 statement, ACPF members go on to laud Botswana’s newly elected President, Duma Gideon Boko, for participating in the commemorations, saying it signals his administration’s “strong commitment to advancing child centred policies.”

In addition, they applaud President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government for hosting the event in collaboration with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

The collaboration between UNICEF and Zimbabwe, they say, is historic and “reflects the principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which underscores the right of every child to education, recreation, and protection from harm.”

In their November 18 statement, ACPF members also laud Namibia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Hon. John Mutorwa, and Zimbabwe’s First Lady, Dr. Auxillia Mnangagwa, for their leadership in advocating for rights of children.

“Their engagement demonstrates a commitment to the ideals of the African Union and the SADC vision of a region characterized by peace, social justice, and sustainable development,” Africa’s Christian professionals say.

Silas Mwale Isenjia is a Kenyan journalist with a great zeal and interest for Catholic Church related communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Linguistics, Media and Communication from Moi University in Kenya. Silas has vast experience in the Media production industry. He currently works as a Journalist for ACI Africa.