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INTRODUCTION: There are advocates young and old across the US
who are
working to educate, uplift, and expand the rights of youth
throughout society. Their myriad voices form a chorus whose
interests span a wide range of topics, yet form a powerful song when
brought together.
POINT TO PONDER:
"Don't criticize what you can't understand,
your sons and your daughters are beyond your command." - Bob Dylan,
The Times They Are A Changin'.
RESOURCES: The
following are various examples of manifestos, declarations, bills of
rights, and more written by young people demanding youth rights. Also
included is a list of demands by young people for young people.
National Children's Rights Alliance Bill of Youth Rights
The LA Green Party Platform on Youth Rights
The Young Communist League Youth and Student Bill of Rights
International Planned Parenthood Federation Youth Manifesto
National Youth Rights Association
Americans
for a Society Free of Age Restrictions
Declaration of the Rights of American Youth
A document written by the American Youth Congress
and presented to the United States Congress in 1936.
List of Demands by Young
People for Young People
By
Keir Simmons
1. All young
people who wish to must be allowed to vote in all public elections.
2. All laws related to age must be removed.
3. Young people are not the property of their parents, and
all laws must be changed to reflect this.
4. All sexual and physical abuse of young people must stop
immediately.
5. Young people must run their own schools.
6. Young people must produce their own TV programs and films.
7. Every young person has the right to food, warmth, shelter and a
good education.
8. Buildings with good facilities must be provided in every area,
to be run by young people for young people.
9. Architecture and design must consider young people (e.g.
toilets, door handles, car interiors, etc.).
10. Young people's economic
situation must be improved:
-There
must be worthwhile jobs with worthwhile pay for young workers.
-Pocket
money must be provided by the State for every young person (not their parents).
11. The importance of
parents, teachers, and other adult allies to young people must be recognized and
rewarded. Good support and pay must be provided for these vital workers.
12.
All mistreatment of young people by other young people must stop, and
must be replaced with complete respect so that we may unite and achieve these
important goals.
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from Get the Word Out! Going public about young people's power.
by Jenny Sazama. (c) 1994 by RCYA, Boston, MA.
The SNAYR is brought to you by
The Freechild Project in partnership with
National Youth Rights Association
NYRA has been working for more than
five
years to bring young people across the United States a society where
they experience
political, social, and economic, and cultural equality, and where the rights of youth
are equal to those of adults.
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