Youth rights
Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every human being. They are equally enjoyed by everyone, irrespective of one’s background, status or where they live.
This is no different for young people.
Yet while there are specific laws for women’s rights, children’s rights or the rights of persons with disabilities, just to name a few examples, young people’s rights are not as well recognised.
Young people as a specific group experience different forms of intersectional discrimination and exclusion.
Oftentimes, this can be the result of:
- their age (i.e. being considered ‘too young’ to vote, or to be paid a living wage)
- other forms of discrimination or inequality (i.e. racial profiling, school segregation)
- being in transition between two stages of life - from childhood to adulthood (i.e. moving between juvenile and adult criminal justice systems, moving between detention facilities as a minor and then as an adult, leaving alternative care systems when they turn 18 years of age, or when it comes to taking on military service)
This is why we advocate for youth rights, so that all young people, irrespective of their age, how they live and perceive themselves, or how society identifies them, can enjoy their rights to the fullest. We want all countries to recognise youth rights, and ensure that laws and policies are catered to the specific experiences of young people.
How we work on youth rights
This comes through our work in different ways, our advocacy covers both civil and political rights, including freedom of expression, participation in democratic life, and lowering the voting age, as well as social and economic rights, such as access to:
- Quality Internships
- Affordable Housing
- Fair conditions in platform work
- Funding for employment and social inclusion (including through initiatives such as the Youth Guarantee)
Advancing youth rights internationally
At the international level, we want youth rights to be universally recognised, respected and protected by all countries. This why we we work on:
Would you like to know more?
So do we. That’s why we’ve created the Mainstreaming Youth Rights resource to support you in defending youth rights at national and international levels. Are you more of a beginner? The Youth Rights guide below has you covered.
Discover more about Youth Rights
Social and economic rights
For many young people, the journey to becoming independent is not easy. They often face particular challenges that can have a harmful effect on their wellbeing, quality of life and financial stability.
Inclusion and diversity
We are all different.
Where we come from, our ethnicity, religion, the language that we speak, our gender, our sexual orientation, all contribute to our unique identities.
Platform work
Platform work is among the new forms of work increasingly being taken up by young people. But platform work often means low and unstable income with no guarantee of having a job tomorrow. How can we change that?
Youth Guarantee
Four months is all it takes! At least according to the largest EU youth employment initiative, promising that every young person who is not in education, employment, or training (NEET) will be provided with an offer within four months. We have been present since the very inception of the Youth Guarantee in 2010.
Affordable housing
Sky-rocketing rents, insecure rental contracts, surging house prices and a shortage of publicly owned homes paint a sad picture. Our housing system is broken and young people shouldn’t have to put up with it any longer!
Key Documents and Resources
Open Policy Documents
Open Research studies and publications
Open Archive
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