Izelia Fashion will be bringing The Day of The African Child to Barking, East London on Saturday 17 June 2017.
The Day of the African Child has been celebrated on June 16 every year since 1991, when it was first initiated, by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) now Africa Union. It honours those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. It also raises awareness of the continuing need for improvement of the education provided to African children in Africa and The Diaspora.
In Soweto, South Africa, on June 16, 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. Hundreds of young students were shot, the most famous of which being Hector Pieterson. More than a hundred people were killed in the protests of the following two weeks, and more than a thousand were injured.
On June 16 every year, governments, NGOs, international organisations and other stakeholders gather to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the full realization of the rights of children across Africa and the African diaspora. For the last few years Izelia has been working with artists, designers, and small-scale textile producers and clothing manufacturers across Africa, helping to promote their businesses and buying and selling their products. By working closely with the local communities particularly in Sierra Leone, Izelia is helping to improve the local economies and provide job opportunities. This in turn reduces the need for children to work to help families meet their financial responsibilities, providing them with the opportunity to attend school. Izelia has also been providing educational opportunities for those who wish to work in the fashion industry. Barking in East London has a growing population of members from the African diaspora and is the ideal location for an event which seeks to promote children’s rights.
The Day of the African Child (DAC) 2017 will be commemorated on the theme “The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development for Children in Africa: Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunity”. The Child friendly version is “Accelerating protection, empowerment and equal opportunities for children in Africa by 2030″.
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