AU WATCH

AU Watch 2020 Calendar of Events

January 2020

  • 8 January: World Literacy Day
  • 27 Jan: International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust

February

  • 4 Feb: World Cancer Day
  • 13 Feb: World Radio Day
  • 20 Feb: World Day of Social Justice
  • 21 Feb: International Mother Language Day

March 2020

  • March: Human Rights Month
  • March: TB Awareness Month
  • 1 March: Zero Discrimination Day
  • 8 Mar: International Women’s Day
  • 8 Mar: World Kidney Day
  • 11-14 Mar: World Glaucoma Week
  • 12 Mar: Commonwealth Day
  • 15 Mar: World Consumer Rights Day
  • 20 Mar: World Oral Health Day
  • 21 Mar: Human Rights Day (South Africa)
  • 21 Mar: World Poetry Day
  • 21 Mar: World Down Syndrome Day
  • 21 Mar: International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
  • 22 Mar: World Water Day
  • 24 Mar: World TB Day
  • 24 March: International Day for the Right to the Truth concerning Gross Human Rights Violations and for the Dignity of Victims.
  • 25 Mar: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade

April 2020

  • April: Freedom Month
  • 2 Apr: World Autism Awareness Day
  • 4 Apr: International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action
  • 7 Apr: World Health Day
  • 7 April: International Day of Reflection on the Genocide in Rwanda
  • 17 Apr: World Haemophilia Day
  • 19 Mar: Good Friday
  • 21 Apr: Family Day
  • 22 Apr: International Mother Earth Day
  • 23 Apr: World Book and Copyright Day
  • 25 Apr: World Malaria Day
  • 26 Apr: World Intellectual Property Day
  • 27 Apr: Freedom Day (South Africa)
  • 28 Apr: World Veterinary Day

May 2020

  • May: Africa Month
  • 1 May: International Workers’ day
  • 3 May: World Press Freedom Day
  • 10 May: World Move for Health Day
  • 12 May: World Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome Day
  • 12 May: International Nurses’ Day
  • 15 May: International Day of Families
  • 17 May: World Hypertension Day
  • 17 May: World Telecommunication and Information Society Day
  • 18 May: International Museum Day
  • 21 May: World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development
  • 22 May: International Day for Biological Diversity
  • 25 May: Africa Day
  • 28 May: International Day of Action for Women’s Health
  • 31 May: World No Tobacco Da

June 2020

  • 3 Jun: International Cancer Survivors Day
  • 4 Jun: International Day of Innocent Children – Victims of Aggression
  • 4-10 Jun: Heart Rhythm Week
  • 5 Jun: World Environment Day
  • 8 June: World Oceans Day
  • 12 June: World Day Against Child Labour
  • 13 Jun: International Albinism Awareness Day
  • 14 Jun: World Blood Donor Day
  • 15 June: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
  • 15 June: World Food Day
  • 16 June: Youth Day (South Africa)
  • 17 June: World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
  • 19 June: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
  • 20 June: World Refugee Day
  • 23 June: Africa Public Service Day
  • 26 June: United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture
  • 26 June: International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

July 2020

  • July: Nelson Mandela Month
  • July: Moral Regeneration Month
  • 11 July: World Population Day
  • 18 July: Nelson Mandela Day
  • 28 July: World Hepatitis Day
  • 30 July: World Day against Trafficking in Persons
  • 31 July: African Women’s Day.

August 2020

  • 9 August: Women’s Day (South Africa)
  • 9 August: International Day of the World’s Indigenous People
  • 12 August: International Youth Day
  • 15 August: Oct: Bone Marrow Stem Cell Donation and Leukaemia Awareness Month
  • 19 August: World Humanitarian Day
  • 23 August International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and Its Abolition
  • 30 August: International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances. 
  • 31 August: African Traditional Medicine Day

September 2020

  • September: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month (South Africa)
  • September: Oral Health Month (South Africa)
  • September: Month of Deaf People (South Africa)
  • September: Albinism Awareness Month (South Africa)
  • 5 September: International Day of Charity
  • 8 September: International Literacy Day
  • 9 September: World Foetal Alcohol Syndrome Day
  • 10 September: World Suicide Prevention Day
  • 15 September: International Day of Democracy
  • 15 September: African Union Day
  • 21 September: International Day of Peace
  • 21 September: World Alzheimer’s Day
  • 26 September: World Environmental Health Day
  • 30 September: International Translations Day

October 2020

  • October: Mental Awareness Month
  • October: Breast Cancer Awareness Month
  • 1-6 October: Older Persons Week
  • 1 October: International Day of Older Persons
  • 2 October: International Day of Non-Violence
  • 9 October: World Post Day
  • 10 October: World Mental Health Day
  • 11 October: International Day of the Girl Child 
  • 12 October: World Sight Day
  • 12 October: World Arthritis Day
  • 14 October: World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
  • 15 October: International Day of Rural Women
  • 16 October: World Food Day
  • 16 October: World Spine Day
  • 17 October: World Trauma Day
  • 17 October: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
  • 20 October: World Osteoporosis Day
  • 21 October: Africa Human Rights Day
  • 24 October: UN Day
  • 24 October: World Development Information Day
  • 29 October: World Stroke Day
  • 31 October: World Cities Day

November 2020

  • 2 November: International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists
  • 3 November: World’s Men’s Day
  • 6 November: International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict.
  • 6 Nov: SADC Malaria Day
  • 8 Nov: World Quality Day
  • 10 Nov: World Science Day for Peace and Development
  • 16 November: International Tolerance Day
  • 18 Nov: World Remembrance Day for Victims of Road Accidents
  • 20 Nov: Africa Industrialisation Day
  • 20 Nov: Universal Children’s Day
  • 21 November: World Television Day
  • 25 Nov: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
  • 25 Nov-10 Dec: 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children

December 2020

  • 1 December: World AIDS Day
  • 2 December: International Day for the Abolition of Slavery
  • 3 December: International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  • 5 December: International Volunteers Day
  • 7 December: International Civil Aviation Day
  • 9 December: International Anti-Corruption Day
  • 10 December: International Human Rights Day
  • 16 December: Day of Reconciliation (South Africa)
  • 18 December: International Migrants Day
  • 20 December: International Human Solidarity Day

The following calendar is an attempt to compile a list of human rights and other celebratory days for NGOs and anyone working in development in Africa. It is not to be taken as a complete or definitive list but as a starting point for work with your organisation.

The key dates have been gathered from official AU Days, UN International Days, World Days recognised by NGOs, anniversaries of historical events and birthdays of some prominent human rights activists.

Please feel free to copy, use and adapt. You can get your friends to add their own local and national key dates, as your wish These can then be added to the calendar to make a resource which is personal to your group.

 

Most of the information for the following celebratory days was got from the South Africa government site. For more information please go to: www.gov.za