What is the purpose of Youth for Human Rights Australia?
Youth for Human Rights Australia was established with the object of promoting the prevention or control of behaviour that is harmful or abusive to human beings by making human rights a reality through education. When youth are educated in human rights they become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace.
In working to achieve this objective Youth for Human Rights Australia is involved in activities that engage them with youth, adults, all levels of government, and other organisations, to;
1. a) Raise awareness and understanding of what fundamental human rights are and their connection with preventing or controlling harm and abuse
2. b) Encourage all persons and all organisations to take responsibility for their actions and allow others to have their human rights and thus prevent or control, harm and abuse.
What can I do to help Youth for Human Rights Australia?
Become a member of Youth for Human Rights Australia
Go to the Get Active section of this site for other ways you can contribute.
How was Youth for Human Rights International formed?
Educator and school principal, Dr. Mary Shuttleworth, founded YHRI in August 2001. Having spent 30 years working with youth she saw that youth were vulnerable when they did not know their rights. She knew the importance of education and the value of teaching youth, not only that they had rights but that, according to Article 29 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, they also had responsibilities to protect their rights and the rights of their peers.
Youth for Human Rights International was formed as it was realized that very little is being done to teach human rights to young people. YHRI brings the United Nations Universal Declaration for Human Rights to youth through essay and art contests and by providing materials for students and teaching guides for schools.
What is the purpose of Youth for Human Rights International?
It is to to provide easy-to-understand human rights education to adults and children so they are able to grasp what fundamental human rights are as aligned with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to effectively combat violations of human rights.
The YHRI carries out projects that address and help restore human rights and freedoms. Youth for Human Rights International is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation based in Los Angeles.
Why is there a need for Youth for Human Rights International?
Youth are not regularly taught human rights and do not understand what they are. Consequently, many enter adulthood with no idea of the basic rights they were born with. Yet the youth of today are our leaders of tomorrow. They must be made aware of their rights, both for their own sake and to secure these rights for others across the world.
Youth for Human Rights International mobilizes youth in the service of human rights and provides a voice for those who would not otherwise have one.
What problems does Youth for Human Rights International plan to solve?
There are unlimited ways to help young people today. Many are victims of poverty, discrimination and lack of education, with no future to look forward to.
The statistics are staggering:
• One third of all children are not registered at birth, resulting in no official record of their existence and leaving them vulnerable to denial of health care and schooling.
• A third of the children in the world suffer from malnutrition.
• In terms of basic education, over 100 million children of primary school age are not in school and many more receive poor quality education.
• UNICEF estimates that more than 200,000 children are enslaved by cross border smuggling in West and Central Africa alone. Of the estimated 27 million enslaved people in the world today, most are women and children.
YHRI believes that widespread education in human rights will go a long way towards alleviating these problems. |
