Every November, timelines turn a hopeful shade of blue as the world pauses to celebrate its most precious resource—children. World Children’s Day marks the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, reminding us that children are the pillars of our communities, our societies, and our world.
This year’s theme, “My Day, My Rights,” invites us to reflect on what those rights truly mean. At Transform Alliance Africa, we believe one right stands out as foundational: every child’s right to grow up in a family.
Yet, across Africa, the reality is stark—over 35 million children live without parental care. Behind that number are stories of separation, loss, and vulnerability. But there is hope. This year brings two powerful developments that put families—not orphanages—at the center of children’s lives.
Two Milestones for Children and Families
The first is the Global Charter on Children’s Care Reform, a public promise to act. It calls on governments and organizations to support families before crises lead to separation, provide family-based alternative care when needed, and phase out reliance on institutions. It gives leaders a shared language and roadmap so that a minister in Kampala, a district official in Lilongwe, and a faith network in Sofia can all move in the same direction—toward family care.
The second is Africa’s own General Comment on Children Without Parental Care, Spearheaded by the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child. This homegrown guidance interprets the African Charter to address the growing crisis of children without parental care. It offers clear, practical steps for governments and partners to build systems that keep children safe in families, normalize kinship and other alternative family care options when biological parents aren’t an option, and end the default use of institutions.
In short, it’s a continental nudge toward what communities already know: children thrive in families.
What Does This Look Like in Real Life?
Not in legal documents, but on an ordinary Tuesday morning: a social worker equipped to help a struggling parent before separation becomes inevitable; a grandmother supported to care for a child with disabilities without feeling alone; a foster family trained and accompanied so a child never ends up in an institution; a local faith community shifting its generosity from funding and supporting orphanages to strengthening families; and a donor confident that funding prevention, reintegration, and inclusive community services isn’t just right—it’s impactful and aligned with global and African standards.
Across Transform Alliance Africa member countries, we’ve seen the difference when families are the plan, not the afterthought. Proactive interventions save resources and, more importantly, secure families.
Why This Moment Matters
World Children’s Day is the perfect time to join the dots. The Global Charter offers a north star, while Africa’s General Comment roots that vision in our context. Together, they amplify the call for investment in families, support structures, and systems that prioritize prevention and family care. Families must become the default environment for care and protection for our children—not institutions.
Your Role in Making Family Care a Reality
If you lead policy, this is your invitation to endorse and act. If you fund, it’s your cue to invest confidently in prevention and family strengthening. And if you’re simply someone who cares, keep asking the most practical question of all:
“How does this keep children with family?”
Collectively, we can make family care the everyday reality for every child.
Transform Alliance Africa Coordination Team
