Youth Standing Up for Human Rights Every Day of the Year

This year’s UN motto for Human Rights Day is part of our DNA

Youth for Human Rights International (YHRI) epitomizes the UN’s theme for Human Rights Day 2019: “Youth Standing Up for Human Rights.” In addition to mentoring the hundreds of Youth for Human Rights chapters throughout the world where young volunteers promote peace and advocate for the rights of others, YHRI makes its educational materials available free of charge to anyone wishing to establish a new chapter or help youth understand their rights. 

Educators, community leaders and volunteers order Youth for Human Rights educational materials and use them in classes and seminars. For example, one teacher used them to encourage her pupils to stand up for the rights of others. When they realized that bullying violates the human rights of the victims, it made a real impact on them and took action to rein in bullies.

Teachers, law enforcement officers, ministers and community leaders use this program, as shown by a sampling of the results over the past few weeks:

• In Pakistan, a human rights activist and lawyer uses these materials to educate youth and adults on the issue of child labor. He advocates for children who are working in brick factories to be allowed to attend school. So far he has educated over 2,000 people in his community with the result that 40 children, previously working in the brick factories, have returned to school.
• A social studies teacher in California wrote to Youth for Human Rights International about the program: “I have been using your human rights videos for over 10 years in the modern world history courses I teach at a social justice-themed school..…all students are well versed in human rights, thanks to your support.”
• A school in South Africa’s Mpumalanga Province agreed to add human rights to the school curriculum. They decided that now that they have the Youth for Human Rights materials, they can make the subject understandable to the students.
• A Methodist pastor in India used the materials in a human rights seminar for the youth of his congregation, inspiring them to stand up for the rights of others.
• The state of Lagos in Nigeria has adopted the Youth for Human Rights education program. So far, the program has been delivered in six schools reaching 4,600 students. After the holidays it will roll out to all other schools in the state.
• A teacher in Long Island, New York, wrote in saying she used the Youth for Human Rights materials in a journalism lesson for a writers’ workshop. In fact, she wrote, she incorporates these materials into every academic subject she teaches.

• In Winnipeg Canada, the curriculum director of an elementary school uses the materials because they are “excellent in getting the information about human rights to students.”

In Youth for Human Rights chapters around the world, youth and young adults are preparing events to promote the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on Human Rights Day 2019. These activities include marches, petition drives to make human rights education mandatory in the schools of their nation or state, seminars, conferences, award ceremonies, art competitions—all of them aimed at raising awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and protecting and defending these rights for all people.

The Church of Scientology and Scientologists support Youth for Human Rights and make its educational materials available free of charge. Watch a documentary on the history and activities of Youth for Human Rights International on Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.