Hailing from the city of Uíge in Angola, Wilson Almeida Adão is shaping a continent where every child’s voice matters. An Angolan academic and international law expert, he currently serves as the Chairperson of the African Union Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), the AU body mandated to ensure the protection of children’s rights across the continent under the African Children’s Charter.
Africa’s children continue to face systemic challenges, ranging from conflict and displacement to a lack of education and harmful cultural practices. To meet this challenge, the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACERWC), under the leadership of Wilson Almeida Adão, has stepped up its efforts to monitor state compliance, develop policy guidance and advocate for children’s welfare.
It is important for all African states to work together to create the Africa that our citizens believe in.Wilson Almeida Adão, African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
Born in Uíge Province, Angola, in 1985, a time of war and forced displacement, Adão experienced first-hand the hardships faced by many African children. Subsequently, he became a lecturer in International Law and African Rights at the Faculty of Law at the Catholic University of Angola. In November 2023, he became the first Angolan to be elected Chairperson of ACERWC within the AU’s international human rights system, and was tasked with guiding the Committee’s strategic vision.
We have already implemented interventions that have had a significant impact on African society, such as the fight against female genital mutilation, child marriage and other harmful traditional practices. We also reiterate our call for African states to substantially increase the budget they allocate to children.
Wilson Almeida Adão, African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child
As an advocate of institutional collaboration and the development of guiding norms and policies, Adão has played a key role in driving positive change. Recent decisions made by the Committee under his leadership include projects focusing on children with disabilities, harmful practices, and the impact of climate change. These initiatives are designed to ensure that governmental actions result in tangible improvements to the lives of children across Africa.
We advocate for the autonomy of human rights defence bodies, specifically the African Commission on Human Rights and the Committee, as separate entities that collaborate according to their respective mandates to promote human rights on our continent.
Wilson Almeida Adão, African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child.
Currently chair of the African Governance Architecture and chair of the Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, Wilson Almeida Adão demonstrates unwavering leadership, drawing on his personal experience, academic expertise, and visionary approach to advancing children’s rights across Africa.
