When we are surrounded by family, it’s easy to forget what life feels like without one. But for millions of children across Africa, this is their daily reality—growing up without the love, belonging, protection, and identity that only a family can provide.
Imagine facing life’s toughest moments without someone to lean on. Imagine not knowing where you belong, or who you are. For children, family is not secondary—it is a necessity. It is the foundation for their emotional, psychological, and cognitive development. It is where they learn love, trust, identity, and resilience.
Yet today, an estimated 35 million children in Africa are growing up without parental care. That’s nearly the population of an entire state. This is not just a crisis of childhood—it’s a crisis of humanity. When children grow up without families, we jeopardize not only their futures but the future of our communities, nations, and continent.
We are not doing enough to protect the family unit. The disintegration of families leads to fragmented societies, weakened economies, and lost cultural heritage. By supporting families, we build stronger, more cohesive communities and a more resilient Africa.
As the Special Rapporteur on Children Without Parental Care in Africa, I am proud to be part of the Rooted in Families campaign—a movement that calls us back to our roots, to the heart of our societies: the family.
The African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child is working hard to make sure that even the most vulnerable children—those abandoned, living in child-headed households, in detention, institutions, on the streets, or trafficked—aren’t left behind. Every child deserves the chance to grow up in a loving family.
To help make this happen, the Committee will be launching a new General Comment and a Monitoring and Evaluation Framework on Children Without Parental Care during its 46th Ordinary Session at the end of the year. This marks an important step forward. It means governments will be encouraged to put family care at the heart of their child protection efforts—and we’ll have tools to track how well we’re doing.
Family is more than a unit—it is a value. It is where culture is passed down, where economic stability begins, and where future generations are nurtured. When children grow up in harmful or neglectful environments, such as streets, orphanages the consequences ripple across society: poor academic performance, unemployment, broken relationships, incarceration, and conflict are just a few of the negative ramifications.
We must act now.
We must reflect as a continent and use the evidence we have to support families before they break down. We need policies and laws that strengthen families, not separate them. We must ensure that alternative care is rooted in family—because the only true alternative to family is another family.
The prosperity of Africa depends on how we protect and support the family unit.
Join Us. Speak Up. Act Now.
Let us not allow any child to be denied the love, safety, and opportunity that comes from growing up in a family. Protect the family. Support the family. Be rooted in families.
Hon. Anne Musiwa
Special Rapporteur on Children Without Parental Care
