NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US: AFRICA’S CHILDREN SPEAK, AND LEADERS LISTEN

By Precious Mupenzi

• Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks has urged governments across Africa to act on the outcome statement drawn up at the conclusion to the 2025 Africa Children’s Summit.
• The deputy minister urged that the energy and insight the child delegates brought to the discussions at the summit must not fade into empty promises.
•  ⁠The 2025 event, held over three days and attended by more than 1 000 children from over 20 African countries, was one of the most inclusive gatherings for child participation on the continent to date.

With the voices of children taking centre stage, the 2025 Africa Children’s Summit closed on a high note in Johannesburg, with Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks urging governments across the continent to turn the children’s ideas into action.
Speaking to hundreds of young delegates, Hendricks emphasised that children are not passive beneficiaries of policy, they are active agents of change who must be meaningfully included in decisions that affect them.

Speaking at St John’s College in Johannesburg on the final day of the summit on 7 April 2025, Hendricks lauded the child-led nature of the summit and said the theme, ‘Seen, heard and engaged in education’, must go beyond rhetoric to drive real, transformative action across the continent.
“When my grandchild steps into the world, I want them to find a society that guarantees the protection of children and their rights,” said Hendricks, drawing a personal connection to the cause. “This summit gives me hope that such a world is possible.”

Over three days, more than 1 000 children from over 20 African countries participated – many virtually, with 13 countries attending in person – making the summit one of the most inclusive gatherings for child participation on the continent to date.

But Hendricks warned that the energy and insight children brought to the discussions must not fade into empty promises.
“Let us not reduce the voices of our children to paperwork that gathers dust,” he said. “This must be a call for action, not a formality.”

The deputy minister’s remarks resonated with children in the room, who applauded his clear support for their right to be heard – not just as a symbolic gesture, but as a democratic necessity.

Referencing the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Article 12 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Hendricks emphasised that meaningful child participation must be embedded in law-making, policy, school governance, and national accountability processes.

He further underscored the principle: “Nothing About Us Without Us”, urging leaders to ensure diverse representation among children – from different genders, abilities, communities, and life circumstances, including those from rural areas or child-headed households.

Hendricks also expressed concern over rising child abuse, trafficking, and exploitation, calling them “a global pandemic” that demands not only government intervention but grassroots mobilisation.

“Community action, international solidarity, and the continuous push for stronger child protection systems can turn the tide,” he said. “Government cannot do this alone.”

As the summit concluded, children adopted an outcome statement that will be shared across participating countries.
In South Africa, Hendricks announced plans to leverage the country’s upcoming G20 Presidency to champion the cause of child participation on a global stage.
“When the children meet again in two years,” he said, “they must be able to say: something changed.”

With that promise, the Africa Children’s Summit came to a close, not just with a sense of celebration, but a collective demand for action that echoed long after the applause ended.