Day of the African Child 2026:

Every year on 16 June, countries across Africa commemorate the Day of the African Child, honouring the courage of the students who marched in Soweto, South Africa, in 1976 to demand their right to quality education. The day serves as a powerful reminder of the need to protect and promote the rights and wellbeing of every child.

 This year, UNICEF, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP), led Liberia's national commemoration in Voinjama, Lofa County under the theme "Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) for Every Child in Africa." The event brought together children, government officials, development partners, civil society organizations and local leaders to advocate for improved access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services, while placing children's voices at the centre of national discussions on one of Liberia's most pressing development challenges. 

UNICEF continues to prioritize water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) as a critical investment in Liberia's children. Girls are disproportionately affected, with many missing school during menstruation because schools lack safe sanitation facilities and adequate menstrual hygiene services.

 Expanding access to child-responsive WASH is key to keeping girls in school, protecting their dignity and ensuring every child has the opportunity to learn and thrive. While the Day of the African Child commemorates the historic struggle for education in Soweto, this year's observance highlighted that quality education today also depends on safe water, sanitation and hygiene. 

During the national celebration, Andy Brooks, UNICEF Liberia Representative, underscored the importance of listening to children and addressing the WASH crisis affecting their education and wellbeing: "We commemorate the Day of the African Child fifty years after Soweto. The struggle began with a demand for education and a language children understand. 

Today, securing that education means fixing a crisis: water, sanitation, and hygiene. The data is a difficult reality to face: 360,000 children are going to schools with zero access to water or toilets. Girls are hit the hardest, missing school every single month simply due to a lack of proper facilities for menstrual hygiene. Inadequate sanitation and open defecation lead directly to water contamination. The result? 

Children remain the most affected by entirely preventable waterborne diseases like diarrhea. We must find a way to improve how water is managed, purified, and distributed. When children speak up, we must listen. What concerns them must concern us. The most important voices we need to elevate today, and every day are the children themselves. Let's listen, and let's act." 

The national commemoration was followed by the Day of the African Child Commitments Review Meeting, where the Government of Liberia, children, UNICEF, UN agencies and development partners reviewed progress on commitments made in 2025 and renewed their collective pledge to strengthen child-responsive WASH, education, health and protection services for children across Liberia.

 Watch this year’s Day of the African Child celebration here: here