Highlighting the voice of young people in the discussion about human rights

The first term of the Young Experts Programme of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) strengthened the voice of young people in fundamental and human rights issues.                                                                       

The aim of the first term (1 February–31 July 2023) of the Young Experts Programme was to increase human rights actors’ awareness of young people and their rights. The aim was also to provide young people with capacities to participate in the discussion about human rights and to improve their knowledge of fundamental and human rights.

The starting point of the programme was the HRC’s observations that the voice of young people was not properly heard in the human rights discussion and the fact that human rights actors do not yet have an established understanding of young adults (18–29 years) as holders of rights.

The review of the first term of the HRC’s Young Experts Programme looks at the rights of young people in international human rights conventions and gathers together observations and young people’s experiences of the implementation of the rights in Finland. Measures for improving the human rights situation of young people are also proposed in the review.

Based on the examination of human rights conventions, the identification of young people and young adults in human rights discussions should be enhanced. In addition to the economic, social and cultural rights, attention should also be paid to young people’s participation rights, freedom of speech and political rights.

The young people encountered during the programme term brought up human rights issues related to education, work, health, freedom, integrity and safety, in particular. Especially mental health disorders, experiences of exclusion, the rights of minorities and climate change affected young adults’ experiences of how human rights are realised.

The next term of the HRC’s Young Experts Programme begins in December 2023, continuing the work based on observations made during the first term.

Read the review:

Highlighting the rights of young people – More room needed for the voice of young people
Review of the first term of the Young Experts Programme (PDF, in Finnish)

Further information:

Susan Villa, Expert, firstname.lastname@ihmisoikeuskeskus.fi, tel. +358 9 432 3738 (leader of the Young Experts Programme)