By Senior Editor, China Africa News
GABORONE — On a crisp November day, the grand chambers of Botswana’s Parliament stood witness not to a typical political summit, but to the voices of the continent’s youngest.
Around 200 youth delegates from nine Southern African countries Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Eswatini, Lesotho, and South Africa gathered for a Sub-Regional World Children’s Day commemoration.
Their message was clear, bold, and urgent: My Day, My Rights.
The children stood united in demanding their fundamental rights safety, education, and health. They called for an end to violence and poverty, and pressed for meaningful solutions to the persistent problem of high school dropout rates.
Their list of demands went deeper: guaranteed access to nutrition, menstrual products, sanitation and, especially, inclusive education, backed by trained teachers who can support learners with disabilities.
Standing before them, Botswana’s President Duma Boko did more than offer platitudes. He acknowledged their plea as a challenge, not just to his government, but to global leaders: the theme “My Day, My Rights” must push promises into action.
He admitted that many children in the region still face “significant barriers” in education, health, and freedom and called for concrete reforms, including overhauling the education system, extending high-speed internet to every school, stepping up teacher training, and modernizing school infrastructure.
For a gathering of children, the symbolism of meeting inside the Parliament was powerful. The Acting Minister of Child Welfare and Basic Education, Justin Hunyepa, told the media that hosting the event in the halls of power elevated children’s issues “to the highest level.”
UNICEF, too, voiced strong support: their Botswana office emphasized regional cooperation and children’s participation in shaping policies.
But this gathering in Gaborone is not happening in isolation. Across Africa, a different but related storm is brewing: the rise of Gen Z protests.
While younger children used the parliamentary stage in Botswana to demand structural change, Gen Z activists are flooding the streets, challenging their governments in raw, unfiltered ways.
In countries like Morocco and Madagascar, youth-led movements have mobilized via social media platforms like TikTok, Discord, and Instagram pushing back against systemic neglect, economic inequality, and political inertia.
These protests are rooted in frustration: young people who grew up seeing their governments prioritize prestige projects over basic services now feel compelled to demand more directly. They’re not just asking for opportunity they’re insisting on accountability.
In that light, the Botswana event is more than a celebration of children’s rights it’s a strategic act of institutional engagement. Rather than shouting from the margins, these youth chose to bring their voices into the very space where power is made. And that matters.
