At the invitation of the Comorian government, GNRC Member in Comoros, Conseil de la Paix, was invited to a workshop on 24th and 25th of June 2021 to launch the compilation and dissemination of legal texts and literature on the protection of children and women in Comoros. The event aimed at reviewing the legal texts, launch it and make it accessible in the 54 municipalities of the country.

In a bid to promote a conducive environment for equity, coexistence and constructive teamwork, the GNRC Network in South Africa held its inaugural sports and intercultural ‘meet and greet’ event under the banner, “Youth Power: Growing South Africa Together in the Period of COVID-19 Through Sports,” on 4th July 2021. The event took place during South Africa’s Youth Month and coincided with the International Day of the African Child.

On 29th June 2021 GNRC Network in Burundi convened an event in Kiyange, Buterere (North of Bujumbura Capital) to celebrate the Day of the African Child, an annual event celebrated every 16th of June since 1991, when the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) first initiated it. The international day honors those who participated in the Soweto Uprising in 1976 on that day. The day also aims to accelerate efforts to empower the African child in many areas including access to quality education, healthcare, sanitation, food, shelter, security among other rights and amenities as stipulated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

Providing relief to low-income families, children and elders (cared for at homes) is an extremely important and urgent need within the context of the third wave of COVID-19 and the transmission restrictions in Sri Lanka. It is due to this dynamics that GNRC member in Sri Lanka is undertaking an exercise to attend to the underprivileged communities. They are providing food, sanitary material and medication, and sensitizing the wider public on how to stay safe.

GNRC Member Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement continues to offer support to the less fortunate amid the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, Sarvodaya has introduced its COVID-19 Relief Services that aim to respond to COVID-19 emergencies in Colombo and its environs.

The COVID-19 pandemic has left severe damage to the world economies including the stagnation of education. Institutions of learning were forced to close down due to the increase in COVID-19 infections. Learning was conducted online and those who could not afford online learning were forced to use the traditional mode of learning or missed it altogether. Such is the case for Uganda and many countries in the world.

In the month of May 2021, GNRC Member in Romania, Education for Change, undertook a two-week program for children under the theme, “Building Safe Learning Contexts for Students.” The program is being implemented by teachers to develop students’ skills to relate in a positive way with the others, equipping students with efficient methods to process and control their emotions and to solve conflicts in a nonviolent way. The program also seeks to nurture an attitude of reconciliation and a culture of peace in schools.

On 24th April 2021 GNRC member, Shanti Ashram, together with Focolare Movement, Arigatou International, University of Mumbai and other GNRC–India partners organized a meeting on, “Inter-generational Reflection and Dialogue on Rediscovering ‘humility’ and ‘humanity’ in the Midst of the COVID–19 Pandemic.” The virtual program attracted 2,127 people through Shanti Ashram’s Facebook live stream and 100