The Day of the African Child’s, celebration is on 16th June every year. Despite the celebration, the African child still suffers some forms of challenges ranging from rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence among others.
The challenges of the African child vary from one to another as various stakeholders have contributed immensely to addressing some of those issues. In spite of the various interventions, it seems there is no end in sight.
The African Child is still faced with cultural, religious and ethnic biases, environmental sentiments, even as their rights to education, health, good life, welfare, housing, expression are also being denied on a daily basis by those who are supposed to protect them.
This year’s theme, “The Right of the Child in the Digital Environment” established under Articles 32 and 33 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
The African Child is well exposed to his or her digital environment compared to what it used to be in the past. Internet access and usage has been increasing globally. As of May 2022, there were about 590 million users in Africa. These figures include children, who represent a third of all internet users in the world, and are increasingly exposed to the virtual environment. The ACERWC notes that the digital era has fundamentally changed the way in which children exercise and realize their rights.
Noting that the lives of children are mediated by the digital environment in ways that impact how they can enjoy their rights and how their rights maybe improved or transgressed, it is clear that the effect of the digital environment for children needs to be considered in the context of rights set forth under the African Children’s Charter.
“The relevant rights include not only children’s rights to protection from all forms of violence, but Also their rights to participation and provision. In the absence of proper mechanisms of protection, children will be susceptible to greater risks of harm online.
“A child acting in the online environment is not different from a child offline, and the same rights those children have offline must be protected online. In that regard, the ACERWC emphasizes that the rights of children enshrined in the ACRWC also apply in the online context. Legislative, policy, and other responses must reflect this understanding”, it stated.
As a show of solidarity, Dala Kiye joined the rest of the Africa in marking this important day on 17th June 2023 at St. Camillus Dala Kiye Sports Ground. The occasion brought together the children of B.L. Tezza Special School for the Deaf and Tonga Children’s Home.
The Day’s programme started off with the celebration of the Holy Mass led by Fr. Domnic as the main celebrant and assisted by Fr. Patrick and Fr. Paulo. The participants had gathered together at the venue waiting for its kick off. The Mass begun with a procession with the participants lining up and dancing in holy style and singing welcoming songs towards the podium where the mass was marked. Fr. Patrick ushered in the participants to the occasion. He started by recognizing the participants that included; Children from Dala Kiye, B.L. Tezza School for the Deaf and Tonga Children Home, St. Camillus Priests, Novices, Dala Kiye Staff, and representatives from the institutions present. He welcomed them and asked them to feel free and at home.
He also gave a brief description of the Day’s celebration and asked the participants to learn to say Yes or No when they mean it and not vice versa. Fr. Dominic started the Mass by sharing the Day’s theme of celebration as the right of the child in the digital world and the challenges associated to it. Fr. Patrick in his sermon reminded the children that the Day was theirs and they should be proud of it. He went ahead to compare the world of today and the past where technology was minimal as well as the challenges. He also asked the participants to practice the technology rightful, respectful and safe way. He encouraged the children present to feel happy, interact with one another and play together.
The master of ceremony then took the role and went through the occasion’s programme and other logistics with the participants.
Then led the participants to the next activity of the day that was entertainment. During entertainments, the children took the chance to display their talents and skills through poems, songs and dancing full of information on how the African child behaves, how they wish to be treated and the challenges they go through that took the most part of the day.
The participants had a lunch break where they were served with meals to boost their energy.
In the afternoon the participants came back to be entertained in football and netball. The first football match was between Dala Kiye and Tonga with full time scores at 3 to 1 and the second match was between B.L. Tezza and Tonga which ended at 4 to 1. For the Netball, this was between B.L. Tezza and Dala Kiye, whereby B.L. Tezza emerged the winners.
Fr. Emilio did the Vote of thanks by thanking the participants for honoring the invitation by taking their time to come together and mark the day with the children of Dala Kiye. He continued to welcome them in future celebrations especially the World AIDS Day on which will be celebrated on 1st December every year. He also shared his gratitude to Fr. Patrick for the good coordination of the event.
The celebration came to an end after the last prayer by Fr. Patrick then the participants left the venue at their pleasure.
