Think in terms of Earth Day and Fridays for Future. Youth Rights Day is created to raise awareness of youth rights and to unite people behind youth-led efforts to have youth included as full democratic citizens in decisions that affect them.
It is a grassroots movement with no central command. People are urged to be their own champions of change in their communities. The expectation that some champion will come along to make things right is folly and a dereliction of democratic duty.
The Youth Rights Day focuses on mental health as an important measure of the degree to which youth rights are respected. Core values of mental health are social justice and self-determination. Being made to feel inferior and having little meaningful say in matters that affect you constitute a gross violation of human rights. A democracy that does not listen to its young is a democracy in peril.
Mental health is viewed as a personal responsibility and lifelong challenge to “Know thyself”, and to develop the ability to assert oneself effectively and respectfully when ones rights are being violated.
The day has been conceived with the big picture thinking of Zak Stein in mind. Civilizations are mortal. In times of crisis people have the choice of drifting into civilization collapse or mobilizing for a reboot. Our civilization is in peril. The Youth Rights Day is ultimately about young and old uniting to be the generation we have been waiting for.
Youth Rights Day 