The Day of the African Child observed on 16 June each year since 1991, is in honour of the students massacred in Soweto in 1976 for protesting against education injustice in apartheid South Africa. This year’s Day of the African Child is relevant today for FAWE as the world continues to be shocked by the abduction of more than 257 girls from their school in Chibok, Northern Nigeria.

The theme chosen by Africa Union for this year is ‘A child friendly, quality, free and compulsory education for all children in Africa’. Around the world 57 million children remain out of primary school. More than half of these children – 31 million – are girls. FAWE is still deeply concerned by gender disparities which are still evident at all levels with girls’ schooling lagging behind that of boys in Africa.

As we are celebrating that day, FAWE takes the opportunity to advance arguments related to parity in primary education and on issues of improving education quality, and advancing completion and learning achievement rates, especially for girls. FAWE would like also to express her support to the northern Nigerian girls of Chibok (#BringBackOurGirls) and advocate for safe schools by saying:

“NO GIRL OR BOY SHOULD BE DENIED EDUCATION”.  Read more on the Blog