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Youth Agenda statement on the Day of the African Child
Youth Agenda Trust
June 16, 2009

On the 16th of June 1976 thousands of South African school children took to the streets in protest over the racist apartheid regime policies on education. The protests were violently crushed and resulted in deaths of several hundreds of young school children with thousands others sustaining serious injuries. It is in light of this sacrifice, great determination and bravery which the young South Africans exhibited, that thirty three years after these human rights violations the Youth Agenda Trust joins the rest of young people from across the African continent and Zimbabwe in particular in commemorating the Day of the African Child. The day was set aside in
1991 by the then Organization of African Unity (now African Union) to commemorate these Soweto uprisings in which young South Africans were demanding an education system which does not discriminate on the basis of skin color. They were also demanding a right to be taught in their own language. To Youth Agenda Trust, 16 June remains one of the most important days on our calendar as it signifies the unity of young people as a force for political and social transformation.

Youth Agenda Trust remains deeply concerned by the prevailing political, social and economic environment in Zimbabwe despite the formation of the inclusive government. The environment remains hostile for children and young people. The education sector is still suffering from the after effects of a decade long period of bad governance, corruption and plunder by the ZANU PF led government. As we commemorate this day today, hundreds of thousands of young Zimbabweans are being forced to abandon their Advanced Level studies as a result of the late release of Ordinary level results. A lot more are failing to attend school as they cannot cope with the dollarized fees structure. Despite being a former bread basket for the African continent, thousands of children today are suffering and dying of malnutrition. The HIV/AIDS pandemic which continues to ravage our communities has also not spared Zimbabwean children mainly due to the non availability and inaccessibility of Parent to Child Transmission prevention resources, both material and human. The politics of today has also negatively affected children in several ways. The reign of terror and madness that was unleashed by the Zanu Pf regime in last year's elections, particularly on the run up to the 27 June boycotted-run-off elections resulted in many children being displaced alongside their parents. In worst cases, some children were actually killed for their parents' political activities and inclinations. Youth Agenda Trust also pays special tribute to the young toddler from Banket who spent several weeks together with her mother in remand when MDC political activists from Banket were unlawfully abducted, tortured and detained. Several young children also lost their lives or their parents as a result of the then ZANU PF health minister, David Parirenyatwa psychotic delusions that the cholera pandemic was manageable and under control by government.

We call upon the inclusive government to observe and implement the International Convention on the Rights of Children, specific sections ofthe African charter which speak to the rights of children and other charters to which it is a signatory. We reiterate our continued call for a democratically elected government as the only sustainable way towards addressing the various challenges which children and young people face today. Finally, we also call upon young people to emulate the thousands of brave young South Africans who united and expressed their discontent with forces of dictatorship and apartheid. Young people should remain vigilant and dedicated towards fighting against political, social and economic injustices.

Visit the Youth Agenda Trust fact sheet

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