International Day of the African Child was created as an awareness campaign to highlight the importance of what it means to be a child in Africa and the need to educate the children of this country. International Day of the African Child is celebrated on the 16th of June every year to encourage people around the world to highlight the importance of improving the education system in Africa.

History and Significance

On June 16, 1976, thousands of black students from Soweto, South Africa, protested the poor quality of their education by marching on the streets. The education system of Africa was riddled with systematic discrimination against black students. The students were segregated based on their race and were subjected to an inferior education in schools.  Over a span of two weeks, the students marched and were subsequently shot by the security forces. Hundreds of students were killed and the march came to be known as Soweto Uprising.  The International Day of the African Child was created in 1991  to honour the people who participated in the Soweto uprising on June 16, 1976.

Over tens of millions of children are uneducated around the world and half of them live in Africa. The economic constraints [recent them from gaining their right to a fair education. This day aims to spread awareness about the strife of these children and create a measure to improve the education system in the country.

People worldwide celebrate this day by highlighting the awareness about the education system in Africa by sharing their views via social media using the hashtag #educationforAfrica, #InternationalDayOfTheAfricanChild.

People also contribute to organizations that work towards improving education for African child. People also volunteer to hold talks in school and address the need for educating a child and the problems that parents face in sending their children to schools.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 14, 2021 02:18 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).