Fourteen-year-old Mahlet joined around 200 other children on 16 June – the Day of the African Child – to march through the streets of Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. They wanted to draw attention to the problem of violence against children. Mahlet explains, “I think violence is a big problem in Ethiopia. We want to push the government to have a law about what happens to children.”

“It would be nice for parents to know about child labour and punishment. If they learn from days like this, maybe in the future they will advise them instead of punishing them,” adds Neja, 10, from Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.

The children choir of the African Child Policy Forum, preparing themselves to perform in the Second International Policy Conference of the African Child: Violence Against Girls

Segni, 14 Member of the children choir of the African Child Policy Forum.

Iman Abdi, Female, Age-10, Kezira Primary School, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

Painting from the Ethiopian Art olympiad, organised by the African Child policy Forum