Yesterday Africa honoured its children in commemorating the horrific events that unfolded in South Africa on June 16, 1976. The day has been commemorated since 1991 when the then Organisation of African Unity (OAU) declared it in honour of the Soweto Uprising.
Catchy themes have been thrown around on this day each year, with the supposed aim of fuelling inspiration and hard work around the plight of the continent’s future leaders. However, the true picture on the ground suggests we have a long way to go in order to speak with our heads held high that indeed we have succeeded in paving the way towards the proverbial Promised Land for Africa’s child.
What we need to do now is look ourselves in the mirror and admit our contribution towards the deplorable situation the African child often finds herself in. Let us admit that Africa has a rapidly growing number of vulnerable children facing multiple violations of their rights.
Let us apologise to them for the hunger, ill health, violence and neglect, lack of access to education and opportunities for play, psycho-social support, spiritual growth and development.
Sorry, African child, for subjecting you to labour on our farms and for dragging you to warfronts.
Sorry, for forcing you into marriages with men quadruple your age and virtually making you sex slaves of these bearded and balding monsters.
Sorry, that SADC only adopted this year a model law on eradicating child marriage – when this could have been done decades ago.
Sorry, for failing to provide you with decent shelter and, as has become the habit, concealing your birth by dumping you in pit latrines.
Sorry, that in Malawi and parts of East Africa, criminal gangs hunt for your body parts, especially if you suffer albinism.
Sorry, that in Central African Republic (CAR) you have been forced to carry machine guns to protect your villages from the war created by us – your elders.
Sorry, for revelations by a recent academic study that in Namibia online content exposes 68 percent of you to explicit sexual content you did not wish to see.
Sorry, that in Zimbabwe the Harare Municipality embarks on mandatory HIV testing of pupils in all council-run primary schools, ignoring the trauma and stigma to which you could be exposed.
Sorry, that Nigeria – indeed the whole of Africa – has still not rescued your Chibok peers from the claws of Boko Haram, nearly three years on.
Sorry, that across the continent, you remain the key prey and targets of rapists and paedophiles.
Sorry, for our failure to protect you both at home and on the streets.
Sorry, for making you orphans though our irresponsible behaviour, such as excessive drinking and risky sexual habits.
Sorry, for not affording you a chance to live with both your parents, because of esclating divorce rates – often the result of our insatiable desire to cheat on your mothers… and fathers.
You, the African child, deserve better. Maybe you should give us another chance to redeem ourselves.
In Namibia we are now providing you with free primary and secondary education. Maybe that’s a sign of care and helps to ease the way to your future.
For what we have done and failed to do, forgive us, dear African child. Would you?