June 16th, is commemorated annually as the DAY of the AFRICAN CHILD (DAC).

The theme for 2021 is “30 years after the adoption of the Charter: accelerate the implementation of Agenda 2040 for an Africa fit for children”.

The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (Committee), established under Articles 32 and 33 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (the Charter) selected this theme for the commemoration of the DAC in 2021.

Did you know about Agenda 2040?

Agenda 2040

• Aspiration 1: The African Children’s Charter, as supervised by the African Children’s Committee, provides an effective continental framework for advancing children’s rights
• Aspiration 2: An effective child-friendly national legislative, policy and institutional framework is in place in all Member States
• Aspiration 3: Every child’s birth and other vital statistics are registered
• Aspiration 4: Every child survives and has a healthy childhood

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Yavi Madurai speaks to her daughter Tanith Madurai, a young youth activist fighting for Gender Equality, Education that tells Africa's story from Africa's perspective, and Climate Change, through her organisation GenEqual, which she founded under another name at the age of just 8 years old - about the status of youth on the continent, the challenges, opportunities and what leaders of the current generation should be thinking about when leading and leaving a world for the next generation.

Tanith was recently chosen from 750 applications to be one of 100 Volunteers for AfricaYouthHub Volunteer Program, and she also starts her Harvard Undergraduate International Relations Foreign Policy program, coincidently today - on 'Youth Day'.

In looking forward to starting the program with some of the world's most prolific international leaders, she had this to say,

"In the future there’s going to be the African continent that will run the world from a workforce perspective. I think the main reason why I’m doing this, is when I’m older, to be able to understand and learn how I can position Africa from a foreign policy point of view, understanding that today we are seen as 'less', however by the time I am part of the workforce, technically, the world will be Africanised!" ~ Tanith Madurai

We couldn't have said it better.

Leaders are already here ... waiting their turn to lead and impact.