International Day of the African Child: Group Sensitise Students on Rape, Street Hawking, Child Marriage, Others

By Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna

As part of activities to commemorate the International Day of the African Child, an advocacy group, ONE.org champions in Kaduna at the weekend organized a sensitization lecture for students in the state.

The sensitization, features discussions on child marriage, rape, slavery, bad parenting, street hawking, suicide, Out of School children and the need for children to be in school.

The International Day of the African Child is an event to honor children who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976. It also raises awareness on the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African Children.

In Soweto South Africa, on June 16th 1976 about ten thousand black school children marched in a column more than half a mile long protesting the poor quality of their education and demanding their right to be taught in their own language.

Speaking at the commemoration ceremony, Maryam Ahmad, ONE.org coordinator in Kaduna, explained that, “on that day, hundreds of young students were shot and more than a hundred people were killed in the protests over the following weeks. We are forever indebted to the young heroes who sacrificed their own lives for our right to education.”

She charged the students to take their education very seriously because it is very important, adding “the future of the African Child is so bright and lies in their hands.”

Another ONE.org champion, Ebere Chukwu, in her remarks she said “in my opinion Education should be made free for children everywhere, every child deserves to be educated, empowered and protected”

On her part, Zaraphat Haruna who is also one of the host, who spoke about the ills of the society, especially the high spate of suicide in country, urged the students not to give in to such action as an option, saying “do better, make positive impacts, follow your dreams and acknowledging that they are enough.”

“I want my children to live in a world where they see their mates in the classroom not on the streets hawking or begging for bread.”

The sensitization lecture which holds in Marafa Community School, Kaduna, had Forty (40) Students as participants.

ONE is a global movement campaigning to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030 so that everyone, everywhere can lead a life of dignity and opportunity.

ONE Champions are vibrant, committed group of volunteers who work to support ONE Africa’s advocacy work. The Champions lobby decision makers, support with recruiting and managing members in their clusters, support media advocacy efforts, and mobilize public support for ONE issues.