25-05-2025
Safeguard the rights and welfare of Africa's children
Children in Africa are exposed to violence such as armed conflict, with some children recruited as child soldiers. Photo: Stefanie Glinski/AFP
The
Children with disabilities, girls or those living in countries affected by humanitarian crises face an even greater risk of violence, including child marriages. As children grow into adolescence, they become more vulnerable to gender-based and intimate partner violence.
The situation is even worse in conflict-affected areas, where children experience multiple human rights violations such as sexual slavery and genital mutilation. Armed conflicts not only endanger lives but also devastate
In
During armed conflicts, children are particularly vulnerable to being separated from or losing their parents or caregivers. Many become internally displaced or are forced to flee to other countries without adult guardians, an experience that significantly increases their risk of abuse.
Living in conflict areas also exposes children to the threat of recruitment by armed groups — either as
The African Union estimates that about
The violence children experience during armed conflict can have profound and long-lasting effects well into adulthood. In my job as a trauma counsellor at the
Although they had eventually escaped to South Africa, they described living in constant fear as they struggled to rebuild their lives. Some found themselves living in the same communities as other refugees whose families they had been forced to harm during the armed conflict. This made it nearly impossible for the former child soldiers to find peace or heal from their traumatic past.
Target 16.2 of sustainable development goal 16 aims to 'end abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence against, and torture of, children' by 2030. There are less than five years remaining to achieve this goal.
Africa has several policy frameworks to address violence against children in armed conflict areas, including the
But, as highlighted by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), one of the persistent difficulties in implementing the African Charter is the lack of adequate resources. Governments frequently prioritise investment in military resources and national security over issues that affect children. Effective implementation of frameworks such as the African Charter is vital to ensuring that children in Africa can meet key developmental milestones and realise their full potential.
As we commemorate Africa Day on 25 May under the AU's 2025 theme, Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations, we must ask ourselves: how can reparations meaningfully address the needs of children who have been victims of violence in conflict areas?
Reparations for these children must go beyond symbolic gestures. They should include financial compensation for injuries and disruption to education, access to trauma-informed mental healthcare and support for resettlement or reunification with family where possible.
One way to ensure reparations for children affected by armed conflict is through intentional, child-focused planning and budgeting. This principle is at the heart of this year's Day of the African Child, which will be commemorated on 16 June under the theme
Children are Africa's future leaders. Protecting them, especially during times of conflict, is not only a moral and legal obligation but a strategic investment in long-term peace, stability and prosperity on the continent. Governments must ensure that their budgets reflect a commitment to programmes that safeguard the rights and welfare of every child.
Yeukai Chideya is a researcher at the Institute for Life Course Health Research at Stellenbosch University.
