Mrs Akufo-Addo with school children
First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has marked the Day of the African Child (DAC) with a call for better quality of life for African children.
Mrs. Akufo-Addo in a message to commemorate the day marked on June 16 said the occasion should serve as a poignant reminder of the horrors the African Child has encountered throughout history.
She noted that the continent has come a long way in ensuring a better life for its children but stressed the need for existing welfare challenges to be addressed.
“Whether in demanding better education, nutrition or any other necessities of basic living, the African Child should never have to feel threatened in wanting a better life,” she said.
Mrs. Akufo-Addo said the Rebecca Foundation, which she chairs has been working to ensure that children grow in a safe environment to realize their full potential.
“All organizations and civil society must use this day as an opportunity to reflect and re-strategize on how to create a better and more secure future for the African child,” she added.
DAC as an advocacy tool for enhancing the visibility of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (The Charter) as well as promoting children’s rights and welfare issues.
The theme for the 2021 commemoration of the African Child (DAC) 2021 is “30 years after the adoption of the Charter: accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children”.
The AU, have used the DAC to remember and celebrate children in Africa as well as to inspire a sober reflection and action towards addressing the plethora of challenges that children in Africa face on a daily basis.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri