The 48th Ordinary Session of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC) is being held in Maseru, Kingdom of Lesotho, from 13 to 20 October 2026. The session brings together approximately 500 participants from nearly 23 countries, including representatives of governments, international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), academia, Foundations, Donors, the African Union Commission (AUC), and other stakeholders.
The session’s agenda covers several important issues related to the protection and promotion of children’s rights in Africa. Key activities include:
- Day of General Discussion (DGD) on the theme “Violence Against Children: Navigating the Digital Frontier.”
- Presentation of the Draft General Comment on Article 13 of the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, focusing on the rights of children with disabilities.
- Presentation of the study on the recruitment of children by armed forces and armed groups in Africa.
- Presentation on the commemoration of the Day of the African Child 2026 and selection of the theme for 2027.
- Consideration of State Party reports from Egypt, The Gambia, Libya, and Mauritania.
- Consideration of complementary reports submitted by civil society organizations (CSOs) on State Party reports from Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire, and Cabo Verde.
- Consideration of pending communications and adoption of decisions.
The session also features a briefing on the status of the Common Africa Position on Ending Violence Against Children (CAP-EVAC), underlining the importance of strengthening Africa’s collective action to end violence against children.
For the first time, the African Disability Forum (ADF) is represented at the session by its Program Director, alongside Inclusion Africa (IA), represented by its Program Manager.
Drawing on its observer status with the Committee, Inclusion Africa delivered a statement highlighting the importance of ensuring that children with intellectual disabilities are fully included in the implementation and monitoring of children’s rights across Africa.
The statement emphasized four key priorities: Inclusive education, Protection, Meaningful participation and Accountability.
Among other issues, a presentation was made on the Draft General Comment on Article 13 concerning the rights of children with disabilities. The document is still at the drafting stage and, before being widely disseminated, will be made publicly available for comments and consultations with children. ADF commended the work undertaken, reaffirmed its commitment to providing comments once the draft is received, and used the opportunity to call on the African States represented at the meeting to ratify the African Disability Protocol.
IA raised questions about how the document would ensure the meaningful participation of children with intellectual disabilities in decisions affecting their lives, including through Easy Read information and appropriate communication methods. It also sought clarification on the concrete measures to be recommended to Member States to ensure effective implementation and monitoring. Furthermore, IA highlighted the need for the General Comment to address the specific needs of girls with intellectual disabilities and children with disabilities living in poverty, rural communities, conflict-affected areas, and humanitarian settings.
ADF considers this an important opportunity to strengthen its engagement and future collaboration with the ACERWC. ADF reaffirms its commitment to working closely with the Committee and other stakeholders to promote and protect the rights of children with disabilities across Africa, ensuring that no child is left behind.
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