The 2030 Agenda for sustainable development in favour of children in Africa, accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunities, was this year’s theme for the 27th edition of the African child.
This peculiar day observed activities at the Buea Cameroon cultural centre on June 16, 2017, where goodwill organizations such as the Global Forum for the Defence of the Less (GFDLP), Nkumu FedFed, the Divas and others gathered with children and government officials to commemorate the day.
The event brought together Children from orphanages around the Buea municipality including: Grace of God, Brightland, Roots for Kids’ Orphanages, and kids of the Bahaï community.
The children were filled with so much excitement and vigour as they demonstrated useful messages through songs, sketches, memory verses, dances and drama. The children through a sketch, demonstrated the negative effects of discrimination at home by parents.
The day of the African child is a memorable day for Africans particularly after the incident which happened in SOWETO, South Africa, on June 16, 1976, where many young black children were killed under the apartheid regime. The day is celebrated therefore, in memory of the innocent black children who were crushed by the regime in South Africa.
Global Forum for the Defence of the Less Privileged is a humanitarian organization out to fight against such inhuman acts. This day marks a turning point for each African Country to create opportunities for the African child; most especially in the field of ICT. The GFDLP is already creating such opportunities through their partnership with the PanAfrican Institute for Development in West Africa, (PAID-WA), Buea in the sponsoring of five persons living with disabilities at the Masters and Degree Levels.
The African child is intelligent and blessed with so many talents. Speaking during the ceremony, the Head of the Economic, Social and Cultural Affairs Division at the Southwest Governor’s Office, Julius Tata Yuyen, said the future of the African child calls for decision makers, communities, families and the children themselves to sit up.
“The institution of this day is governed by the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, also called the African Children’s Charter adopted by the Organization of African Unity (OAU) in 1999” he said.
He went further to say, “The protection of the child in every aspect necessary for growth and development is translated in Cameroon by a legal framework that has been implemented with strategic documents to protect the rights of the child. Cameroon 2035 vision asks the question: Which Cameroon do we want for our children? This pushes us to be an emergent and democratic country, united in its diversity by 2035.”
Several objectives were set with fixed deadlines, so that Cameroonians, irrespective of their sect, will be able to meet their basic needs, enjoy fundamental rights and fulfill their duties. These objectives fall in line with GFDLP’s vision which is to protect the socially vulnerable.
