16/06/2026
ANCEFA STATEMENT ON THE OCCASION OF COMMEMORATING
THE DAY OF THE AFRICAN CHILD
Fifty Years after the dastardly act by the apartheid regime of South Africa on innocent
children in the Soweto Uprising of 16 June 1976, the world remains astounded and the
reflections by Nelson Mandela years later still stand true -
"When the tragic events of 16 June 1976 erupted in Soweto, the question posed itself to
the whole of South Africa: & #39;So whereto now?& #39; In the sacrifices that were borne by
Hector Peterson and many other young people, there seemed to lie an answer."
True that the answer to securing the safety, wellbeing and growth of the young people and
students in an environment fit for the child, lie in the continuing sacrifices of the past and
current generations. ANCEFA and member National Education Coalitions join all children
and other Education Rights advocates from across Africa and the international community to
commemorate this special day and draw back the attention on the urgent need to secure the
best interest of the child. The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and in
resonance with the UN Convention on Rights of the Child places demands on Member States
to
Securing universal access to water, sanitation and hygiene for every child in Africa by
ensuring that the WASH services are available with sufficient water and sanitation facilities,
there is accessibility within safe physical reach for all children, there is affordability with
costs and other barriers eliminated hence do not prevent access, there is acceptability with
culturally appropriate and dignified levels and acceptance, that the safety and quality are
assured with WASH being free from contamination and health risks, and that there is no
discrimination and the WASH remain available to every child without exclusion.
A Call to ACTION
Based on the commitments made in past conferences and conventions, and in the spirit of
securing Education rights, we call upon the African governments fulfil the following -
i. Ensure access to safe drinking water by providing children with sufficient, safe,
acceptable, physically accessible, and affordable water.
ii. Provide adequate sanitation by ensuring access to safe and dignified toilets and sanitation
facilities, including in schools and health facilities.
iii. Promote hygiene by facilitating handwashing facilities, hygiene education, and menstrual
hygiene management including in school settings
iv. Protect children& #39;s health by reducing incidences of disease and malnutrition through clean
water, sanitation, and environmental hygiene.
v. Eliminate discrimination by ensuring equal access for all children, including girls,
children with disabilities, rural children, refugees, and marginalized groups.
vi. Allocate resources and monitor progress by using the maximum available resources to
progressively realize these rights and establish mechanisms for accountability.
vii. Report and account for progress by regularly providing reports to AU and UN monitoring
bodies on measures taken to realize children& #39;s rights. These reports must reflect the actual
progress on the ground
Further, the governments should, as a priority move to secure the following -
i. Guarantee children& #39;s survival, development, and health by enabling access to clean water
and sanitation is considered integral to these rights.
ii. Develop and implement WASH policies and especially enact laws, strategies, and budgets
that expand water and sanitation services.
iii. Ensure WASH in schools and health facilities by providing safe drinking water, gender-
responsive sanitation facilities, and hygiene services.
iv. Protect vulnerable children by prioritizing children in underserved communities, informal
settlements, conflict zones, and drought-prone areas.
v. Promote sustainability by managing water resources in a manner that ensures long-term
availability and resilience to climate change.
Commitment as Civil Society actors will be to set in motion research and advocacy
programs to keep on track the issues and obligations of the States
Signed by
ANCEFA Board Chair
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