Accountability to Africa’s Children: How Far Have We Come and What Can We Do About It?

This article responds to three questions: how accountable are African governments to children? How far have they come? And, what can be done to promote greater accountability? The analysis is based on the assessment of governments’ performance in realising children’s rights using the Child-Friendliness Index. The article shows progress in the child-friendliness of African governments over the last 5 years and highlights persistent challenges that still exist in many countries in the region. It also examines the relationship between national income and performance in realising children’s rights and outlines strategies towards greater accountability to children.