REWU, World Vision Rwanda Launch School Competitions as Part of the Day of African Child Celebrations

The Rwanda Extractive Industry Workers Union (REWU) and World Vision Rwanda have jointly launched a series of school competitions aimed at raising awareness and empowering children to combat child labor and abuse while at the same time promoting Positive Parenting in the Rwandan Society. The initiative, launched in partnership with local education authorities, is part of the celebrations of the Day of the African Child, which will be observed on Monday, June 16, 2025.

The competitions are designed to encourage students, especially those involved in Child Protection (CP) Clubs, to engage in creative activities such as songs, dances, poetry, drama, and storytelling. These activities serve to educate children on their rights and the importance of protecting themselves from harmful practices.

Participating schools, which include those with CP Clubs from various districts, are preparing their best performances to compete at the district level. The top clubs will represent their districts during the national celebrations of the African Child’s Day, emphasizing community-wide engagement in child protection efforts.

This initiative aims to reinforce Rwanda’s commitment to creating safe and nurturing environments for children by promoting awareness and active participation in child protection issues. Local authorities, youth volunteers, and teachers are closely involved in organizing and monitoring the competitions to ensure their effectiveness.

The events are expected to inspire children and communities to work together in ending child labor and abuse while elevating the importance of protecting children’s rights across the country.

This year’s DAC theme for the African continent is “Planning and budgeting for children’s rights: progress since 2010.” The theme aims to assess the progress made in mainstreaming children’s issues in planning and budgeting.

In Rwanda, DAC 2025 will be celebrated through a mass campaign on positive parenting under the theme ” Ndera neza; Nkure nemye.”

According to the National Child Development Agency (NCDA), the theme underscores positive parenting, an approach that emphasizes warmth, support, guidance, and consistent discipline instead of punishment. It prioritizes nurturing the emotional and psychological development of children by promoting a secure, responsive, and respectful parent-child relationship.