VATICAN CITY — An online forum organised by the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors brought together participants from across Africa and international partners on 16 June to mark the International Day of the African Child (DAC), this year coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising.

The event was organised by Br. Fortune Chakasara, Regional Safeguarding Expert for Africa at the Commission, and provided a platform for dialogue and advocacy on issues affecting children and young people across the continent. Participants included youth leaders, safeguarding practitioners, child rights advocates, and development partners from several African countries. Among those present was Andrea Rossi, Director General of the Marist Foundation for International Solidarity (FMSI), who joined others in reaffirming their commitment to the promotion and protection of children’s rights.

The DAC is observed on 16 June each year in memory of the 1976 Soweto Uprising, when thousands of Black South African schoolchildren marched in protest against the poor quality of their education and the compulsory use of Afrikaans as a language of instruction. The protest was met with force, resulting in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of children. The Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, established the day in 1991 to honour their memory and sustain the struggle for children’s rights across the continent. The official 2026 theme, set by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, is “Ensuring universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene for every child in Africa.”

Speakers at the forum highlighted a wide range of concerns affecting children across Africa, including violence, abuse and neglect, limited access to quality education, barriers to healthcare, mental health challenges, child marriage, and online risks such as cyberbullying and harmful digital influences. Presentations emphasised how poverty and inequality often underlie these challenges, and called for greater investment in children’s welfare as a matter of shared responsibility.

A recurring theme across sessions was the empowerment of young people as active participants in shaping their own futures. Participants drew on experiences from Youth Empowerment Clubs in Nigeria, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, where programmes are helping children understand their rights, build leadership skills, and advocate for change within their schools and communities. Presenters described these clubs as creating safe spaces for dialogue where young people can contribute to solutions affecting their own lives.

Participants also advocated for approaches that foster both rights and responsibilities, promoting respectful relationships and active citizenship. As the continent marks 50 years since the events in Soweto, the forum underscored that protecting children, investing in their futures, and ensuring their voices are heard in decisions that affect them remains an urgent and collective obligation.