The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) was adopted by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) in 1990 (in 2001, the OAU legally became the African Union) and entered into force in 1999. It is inspired by International Law on Human Rights, particularly from the provisions of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the Charter of the Organization of African Unity, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, the International Convention on the Rights of the Child, and other instruments adopted by the United Nations and by African countries in the field of human rights, and from African values and traditions.

The African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) is an important tool for advancing children’s rights. While building on the same basic principles as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the ACRWC highlights issues of special importance in the African context. It has been ratified or signed to by 49 of the 55 African Union member states (Juli 2022).