To commemorate the Day of the African Child 2025, Y-ACT organized African Child Rising: Youth Talks and Talent Showcase in Freetown, Sierra Leone, creating a youth-led, intergenerational platform to openly discuss sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), harmful practices, and the barriers young people face in asserting their rights. Aligned with this year’s theme, “Education for All Children in Africa: The Time is Now,” we posed a vital question: What is necessary for young people, particularly girls, to access education in healthy and secure environments fully? The answer echoed throughout the event: SRHR cannot be separated from education, agency, or dignity. In the lead-up to the event, a rapid call invited adolescents and youth across Sierra Leone to identify an SRHR issue that mattered to them and propose a creative solution. 

Within 96 hours, over 30 entries were received, with many highlighting Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as a significant barrier to girls’ rights. From this pool, five finalists were selected to present their ideas through poetry, essays, videos, and spoken word, using their voices to inform, inspire, and advocate for legislative action and cultural change. The event gathered 100 participants, including school pupils, university students, SRHR advocates, and adult allies. Through dialogue circles, anonymous Q&A walls, and intergenerational conversations, young people led discussions, asked tough questions, and shared lived experiences on what needs to change. A standout moment was Tity Memunatu Samantha Sannoh’s powerful spoken word performance on ending FGM, which earned her the top award. Her call to protect children’s rights and end harmful practices inspired all in attendance, reminding us that rights are not abstract concepts but lived realities that must be safeguarded to ensure every child’s health, dignity, and potential. The African Child Rising initiative reaffirmed Amref’s commitment to placing young people at the heart of health and rights advocacy, ensuring they are heard and lead as co-creators of a healthier, more just Africa.