New publication adapts the UN Declaration into a child- and youth-friendly format

The document highlights that children and adolescents have the right to express their opinions, participate in decision-making, and be part of organizations working toward a more just world.
Download the publication here

Human rights defense knows no age. With the goal of bringing these fundamental principles closer to children and adolescents in Latin America and the Caribbean, the Peruvian Society for Environmental Law (SPDA), Paz y Esperanza, the Latin American and Caribbean Movement of Working Children and Adolescents (MOLACNNATS), the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Children and Adolescents (REDNNYAS), and Acción por los Niños, with the support of Save the Children, have published a child-friendly version of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders. This document adapts Resolution 53/144 of the United Nations General Assembly into clear and accessible language, emphasizing the role of children and youth in the protection of human rights.

The publication aims to empower new generations with key, easy-to-understand information about their rights and responsibilities in defending justice and equality. The document highlights that children and adolescents have the right to express their opinions, participate in decision-making, and join organizations that work toward a fairer world.

"We know that children and adolescents are agents of change with a leading role to play, and this declaration is a tool that helps them understand they are not alone in their commitment to human rights. States have the responsibility to protect them and ensure they can express themselves freely without fear of retaliation," explains Angélica Gómez, legal assistant with the Forests and Ecosystem Services Program at SPDA.

Photo: Angela Rodriguez - SPDA

The document also highlights the role of governments in protecting human rights, stating that it is their duty to ensure everyone can promote and defend these principles without restrictions or threats. It also emphasizes access to justice, the right to human rights education, and the importance of civic participation from an early age.

This child-friendly version of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders is available for free download here. Teachers, social organizations, and families can use this resource as an educational and empowering tool for the next generations.