Consultancy: Concept Note for the commemoration of the Day of the African Child (DAC) 2015
The Community Law Centre is a member of a consortium of child-rights focused organisations that, together with the ACERWC, and the Department of Social Affairs of the African Union Commission, administer the ‘African Children’s Charter Project’ (ACCP). The ACCP is aimed at supporting the ACERWC in effectively fulfilling its mandate to promote and protect children’s rights in terms of the African Children’s Charter. The Children’s Rights Project of the CLC, which is the lead partner on activities relating to the drafting of general comments and concept notes for the annual DAC, among others, hereby makes this call.
The ACERWC is mandated by article 42(a) of the ACRWC to promote and protect the rights enshrined in the Charter. In this regard, the ACERWC has taken the lead role in the celebration of the Day of the African Child, established by the then Organization of African Unity in commemoration of the uprising by school children in apartheid South Africa, resulting in the shooting of innocent children.
The ACERWC sets a theme each year for the celebrations, focusing attention on an issue affecting children for which AU member states have committed themselves to address. The theme is elaborated in a Concept Note shared with all AU Member States, Civil Society Organisations and Child-focused Organisations to guide the celebrations for the Day and follow-on steps to ensure that the selected thematic focus is sustained through and by future action.