The Day of the African Child (DAC) is commemorated every year on 16 June by Member States of the African Union. This occasion is firstly a commemoration to recall the 1976 uprisings in Soweto, when a protest by school children in South Africa against apartheid-inspired education resulted in the public killing of these unarmed young protesters by police officials.
But every year there is also a special theme chosen, related to the children of today across Africa. This year’s 22nd Day of the African Child commemoration theme is “The Rights of Children with Disabilities: The Duty to Protect, Respect, Promote and Fulfill.”
A 2010 Global Monitoring Report reveals that 150 million children worldwide live with disabilities. Four in five children with disabilities are in developing countries. In addition, many millions of children live in households with parents or relatives who have disabilities. Additionally, levels of moderate and severe disability are higher in resource poor settings than in rich countries .
Children living with disability normally experience developmental delays causing further disabilities, as they tend not to have access to appropriate early emotional interventions. They face emotional challenges such as isolation, stigma, discrimination and abandonment. Most have no hope for the future. Children living with disabilities have less access to schools and learning opportunities and are more likely to be abused. Harmful community practices and cultural beliefs further disadvantage children living with disabilities, making the protection of children with disability a major concern in the region.
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