The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, under the African Union, is advocating for the eradication of systemic disadvantages which are harming children.

The call is in line with the African Union's declaration of 2025 as the ''Year of Reparations: Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations''.

The declaration was made against the deep-rooted injustices that continue to shape the continent, particularly its children.

In its April report, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child stated that legacies of colonialism, slavery and economic exploitation remain a stark reality.

The report highlighted that the colonial education system, which was designed for administrative purposes rather than empowerment, continues to be an impediment to fulfilling the aims of education as recognised in the African Children's Charter.

This is because the system is focused on prioritising administrative training over broad-based learning.

The report calls out multinational corporations as controlling key industries while profits rarely benefit the local populations, including the children.

It says, therefore, reparations must go beyond financial compensation and focus on breaking cycles of poverty and ensuring children's access to quality education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

51 out of the 55 AU member states, including Namibia, have ratified the Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.

Namibia, once again, ranks among the 42 African countries that have submitted reports outlining measures taken at the national level to domesticate the Charter.