YouthEngage.com

This initiative is based on the conviction that "[y]outh participation is not an end in itself, but a means to achieve positive changes in young people's lives and build a culture for prevention. Youth participation is one of the guiding principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and as such it is a fundamental right for young people as it enables them to express their views and opinions, receive information, be included and assume duties and responsibilities, influence policy outcomes and involve themselves in all matters that affect their own lives in keeping with their age and maturity." To that end, YouthEngage.com offers tools and suggestions on how young people can get involved, develop competencies, and contribute creatively to a culture of prevention of abuse and violence against children and youth.

Available in both English and French, the website's offerings are meant to provide a means to empower young people to get involved in issues that affect them. The "Get Involved" section includes sub-sections titled (i) "Become a prevention actor" (with further information divided into: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, exploitation, harmful traditional practices, and media violence); (ii) "Educate yourself & others" (including suggestions for action, links to official documents, ideas for ways to become a youth leader, and links to other youth groups); (iii) "Join the forum"; (iv) "Sign online pledge"; and (v) "Facebook and Twitter". Through these information, interactive, and advocacy processes, YouthEngage.com's strategy is to:

• mobilise young people through youth groups, school programmes, scout movements, sports clubs, working children's organisations, and children's parliaments to become prevention actors;
• build capacity and skills and increase knowledge for prevention, using the recommendations for young people of the WWSF guide "Prevention is Key!";
• promote inter-youth dialogues and education to help reduce/end violence;
• become familiar with, advocate for, and defend the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC);
• know, share, and discuss the United Nations (UN) Study on Violence against Children;
• share links to other education and support programmes, videos, conferences, photographs, etc.;
• invite young people to sign a pledge and take a stand for prevention of abuse and violence against children and young people;
• encourage government collaboration with young people and their organisations to set up structures for child/youth participation;
• value the contributions of young people in achieving positive change; and
• preserve the dignity and safety of children and young people everywhere.

Children, Youth, Rights.