Youth journalists quiz the Chair of the Committee of the Rights of the Child, Yanghee Lee.

14 October 2009: Plan supported youth delegates and journalists from across the world have taken centre stage at a UN event in Geneva to celebrate 20 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The youths from Canada, Haiti, India, Netherlands, Norway and Senegal joined youth delegates from 9 other countries to take part in workshop sessions looking at how to improve implementation of the CRC and make children’s rights a reality. They acted as panellists, presenting their recommendations, and interviewed key people, such as the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, Navanethem i Pillay.

Three of the youth delegates opened the conference alongside the Chair of the Committee of the Rights of the Child, Yanghee Lee, who spoke of the impact of natural disasters, climate change and ongoing conflicts on the realisation of children’s rights.

Some of the problems the youths raised were the need for birth registration, the exclusion of children with disabilities and the lack of opportunities available for children to voice their opinions.

Listening is not enough!

Rapper Laurent Osir Bieler (right) dedicated his rap to Plan's Because I am a Girl campaign

Canadian youth delegate, Cara, said: “This was probably one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life and I will never ever forget this day. Being able to speak on behalf of so many children around the world and knowing that you're thoughts are being intently listened too.

"However, we were sure to stress the fact that listening is not enough because for us to have fully participated in this event, they need to take action in accordance to our suggestions too.”

Swiss rapper, Laurent Osir Bieler, joined the call for action by performing a rap about the need to help children, which he dedicated to Plan’s Because I am a Girl campaign to improve girls lives.

Recommendations

In the closing ceremony, 6 youth delegates presented their recommendations, which included raising awareness of child rights; pressing governments to take legal measures to ensure child rights are respected, and ensuring child participation is obligatory when decisions are being made that concern them.

Visit the blog sites of the Canadian and Norwegian youth delegates.

Watch the youth delegates on Swiss television (in French).