African Child

	Day of the African Child
	16 June 2012 -- In 1976, thousands of black school children took to the streets of Soweto, South Africa. In a march more than half a mile long, they protested the inferior quality of their education and demanded their right to be taught in their own language. Hundreds of young boys and girls were shot down by security forces. In the two weeks of protest that followed, more than a hundred people were killed and more than a thousand were injured. To honour the memory of those killed and the courage of all those who marched, the Day of the African Child has been celebrated on 16 June every year since 1991, when it was first initiated by the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union). This year the Day also draws attention to the lives of African children today. The theme for this year's event is "The Rights of Children with Disabilities: The Duty to Protect, Respect, Promote and Fulfill." It was chosen by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child because, according to their statement, "children with disabilities are generally hidden in Africa, and therefore their plight is often ignored and disregarded in national policies and legislation." Sources: UNICEF, ChildFund