happiness Chikwanha
Farirai Machivenyika
Senior Reporter
Children drawn from several schools in Harare and Zvimba today marched from Mashambanzou Care Trust offices to Zindonga Shopping Centre in Waterfalls, Harare, to mark the International Day of the African Child that will be commemorated on Sunday.
During the march, which was organized by Mashambanzou Care Trust, the children held placards with messages speaking against child sexual abuse, drug and substances abuse, child marriages and raising awareness of their rights to education, among others.
The theme for this year’s commemorations is, “Education for all children in Africa. The time is now.”
Speaking at the event, the social development officer for Highfield District in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr Adam Chari said the day offered an opportunity to celebrate the realisation of the rights of the African child.
“The Day of the African Child is an opportunity to celebrate the realisation of the rights of the African child, in line with the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child,” he said.
“The purpose is also to raise awareness of the challenges that children face. One of the most pressing challenges facing African children today is a lack of access to digital technology.
These rights include not only children’s rights to protection from all forms of violence, but also their rights to participation and expression of opinion.”
Mashambanzou Care Trust director, Mrs Constance Chigwamba said the attainment of education is critical for children’s development.
“We wish every child to be educated as it empowers them as future leaders. The day should remind us of sacrifices made by generations that came before us,” she said.
The Day is commemorated on 16 June every year to mark the uprising of school children in Soweto, South Africa in 1976 against poor quality education and the use of Afrikaans as a medium of learning by the Apartheid regime.
This resulted in the massacre of over a hundred children.
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