Weekly overview: What happened in the International day of the African Child in Angola?

The theme of the Day of the African Child (DAC) 2022 is ‘Eliminating Harmful Practices Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice since 2013’.

The prevalence of harmful cultural practices continues to violate the rights of children across the continent.

On this day we talked to children and motivated them to fight for their rights. We also organized a women's movement where we talked about violence against women and girls.

In this conversation we indicate that harmful practices include 'all behaviour, attitudes and/or practices which negatively affect the fundamental rights of women and girls, such as their right to life, health, dignity, education

and physical integrity'.

The harm that harmful practices cause forces children to experience immediate physical and mental consequences. These practices further cause a negative impact on children’s dignity, physical, psychosocial, moral integrity and development, participation, health, educational, economic and social status. 

Harmful practices have negative consequences on children and they are likely to cause physical, psychological, economic and social harm and/or violence and limitations on children’s capacity to participate fully in society or develop and reach their full potential. Harmful practices are imposed on children by family, community members and society at large.

The AU Agenda 2063, under Aspiration 6, calls for ending all forms of gender-based violence, including harmful practices.

The elimination of all forms of harmful practices is also clearly reflected in the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 (target 5.3) ‘Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and FGM’. Target 16.2 of the SDGs seeks to realize the right of every child to live free from fear, neglect, all forms of abuse and exploitation. 

Background of the commemoration of DAC 2013

The Committee would like to recall that the theme of the DAC 2013 was ‘Eliminating Harmful Social and Cultural Practices Affecting Children: Our Collective Responsibility’. The Committee would also like to recall the objectives of the DAC 2013 which were : 

- To take stock of and raise awareness about harmful practices against children;

 - To undertake advocacy with African Governments, Civil Society Organizations including faith-based Organizations, the media and other role players for greater mobilization for the realization of the rights of children against harmful practices;

 - To consider effective strategies for the prevention of harmful practices against children; and, 

- To provide a platform for facilitating children’s participation with the aim of gathering children’s views on strategies to eliminate harmful social and cultural practices.

The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (The Committee/ ACERWC), established in accordance with Articles 32 and 33 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (the Charter/ACRWC) selected this theme for the commemoration of the DAC in 2022.