Uniting for Change: Youth & Student Activists Demand Justice for Africa

A Unified Call for Educational Justice

The global day of action highlighted the unwavering determination, partnership, and solidarity among students, youth activists, and survivors of human rights abuses, including child labor survivor advThe “Justice for Africa” campaign exemplifies the unwavering determination, partnership, and solidarity among students, youth activists, and survivors of human rights abuses, including child labor survivor advocates. United by the goal of securing the right to education for all in Africa, participants have organized youth-focused events and actively asserted their socio-political rights.

Addressing Systemic Injustices

The campaign targets systemic injustices amounting to an estimated $4 trillion, with $3.8 trillion stemming from international sources. Activists employ a multifaceted advocacy approach, addressing both national and international issues such as domestic education investment and global tax injustices, while demonstrating the interconnectedness of these challenges.

Diverse Actions Across the Globe

Led by students, youth activists, and survivor advocates, the “Justice for Africa” campaign tailors actions to local contexts, resulting in a variety of tactics during global mobilizations.

• Tanzania, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC): Marches in Dar es Salaam, Pemba Island, Monrovia, and Uvira drew significant participation, with over 1,000 individuals in Tanzania advocating for quality education and an end to child labor.
• South Sudan, Guinea, Namibia, and Nigeria: Rallies, photo stunts, and school dialogues emphasized the Ubuntu philosophy, promoting inclusivity and ensuring no African child is left behind.
• Cameroon and Sierra Leone: Media engagements, including radio and television discussions, raised awareness about the campaign’s demands to end poverty, inequality, and debt injustice.
• Eswatini: The Swaziland Youth Empowerment Organization (LUVATSI) anticipated 100 participants for their regional dialogue but welcomed nearly 200 young people and students sharing experiences of educational injustice.
• Zambia: Community-driven initiatives utilized sports, such as football matches, to raise awareness and demand justice in the Sansamwenje Community of Isoka District.
• Burundi and Uganda: Intergenerational forums with national government officials facilitated discussions on pressing issues affecting youth.
• Botswana, Malawi, and Zimbabwe: Workshops, rallies, and creative activities like placard and wristband making mobilized students to advocate for justice.
• Ghana: National student unions collaborated with the All Africa Students Union to petition the Ministry of Education and engaged in media outreach focusing on the needs of children with disabilities.

Global Solidarity

Recognizing the international roots of many injustices facing Africa, solidarity actions extended beyond the continent:

• Trinidad and Tobago: Young feminists led digital actions and crafted solidarity wristbands, highlighting the campaign’s gender justice aspects.
• Indonesia: Student activists collaborated with international students from The Gambia for photo stunts and solidarity messages.
• United Kingdom: University of Glasgow students hosted a pop-up stall during Black History Month, creating wristbands and distributing campaign information.
• United States: Youth and students across states including New Jersey, Rhode Island, Washington D.C., Connecticut, New York, and the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation organized actions in solidarity with African peers.

Advocating for Comprehensive Change

Understanding that educational injustice is intertwined with other systemic issues, activists addressed cross-cutting concerns:

• Child Labor: In countries like Burundi, Nigeria, Liberia, and Tanzania, demands were made to end child labor alongside calls for educational rights.
• Resource Exploitation: Campaigners in Cameroon and Sierra Leone highlighted the negative impacts of mining, including child labor exploitation and resource extraction benefiting foreign corporations.
• Debt and Human Rights: Activists in Malawi and Zimbabwe focused on unsustainable debt and human rights violations, emphasizing that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
• Child Marriage: South Sudanese advocates addressed the rise of child marriage, calling for protective measures.
• Inclusive Education: Campaigns in Ghana and Eswatini emphasized the need for accessible education, particularly for disabled and rural students.
• Health Rights: Ugandan activists highlighted how global injustices undermine health spending, adversely affecting vulnerable youth, especially refugees.

Many national mobilizations also called for an end to poverty, inequality, and gender-based violence, recognizing the interconnectedness of these issues with educational access.

Survivors Leading the Movement

Central to the campaign is amplifying and centering survivors’ voices:

• Liberia: Janet, a child labor survivor-advocate, led a march through Monrovia’s streets.
• Cameroon: Survivor-advocates of child labor and human trafficking spearheaded media advocacy and awareness campaigns in primary schools within Bertoua region’s refugee camps.
• South Sudan: A former child soldier organized the entire day of action, exemplifying survivor leadership.

In Tanzania, Nigeria, the DRC, Uganda, Burundi, Ghana, and Cameroon, survivor-advocates played pivotal roles, sharing their testimonies and demanding justice.

Engaging Decision-Makers

Direct engagement with local and national authorities was a key strategy:

• Ghana: Student leaders met with Deputy Education Minister Hon. Ntim Fordjour, who committed to releasing funds for special education schools following their petition.
• Cameroon: Activists engaged community leaders, including Chief S.M. Mekene Diamond, Divisional Officer Mr. Essomba Francis, and military commander Mr. Fobenh George.

What’s Next?

As activists against systemic injustices embedded in structures of power for generations, “Justice for Africa” understands that transformative change won’t happen overnight, regardless of how urgently it might be needed. Between the first global mobilization on February 20, 2023, and their second on October 20, 2023, activists have been continuously advocating for the campaign’s demands at local, national, and international levels, showing no sign of slowing down. From following up on promising meetings and petitions with decision