Child & Youth Advisory Group – Information Sheet
The World Congress Child and Youth Advisory Group is a group of young and ambitious people under the age of 25, with knowledge and lived experience in child justice systems. The Global Initiative involves engagement with children and youth to help shape the World Congresses and act as a voice for Justice with Children.
The group of young people who integrated the 2021 CYAG advocate for non-discrimination and promote fair and child-friendly justice systems, drawing on and sharing their own experiences with the justice system to enable other children and young people to enjoy their right to equal access to justice.
We are currently in the process of establishing the upcoming Child and Youth Advisory Group for the 2025 World Congress.
The voice of children and youth counts!
Be part of the Child and Youth Advisory Group for the 2025 World Congress on Justice With Children!
The World Congress on Justice With Children is shaped in collaboration with a group of ambitious child and youth representatives with knowledge and experience in child justice systems. They come from different parts of the world and together make the Child and Youth Advisory Group.
The purpose of this Advisory Group is to gather child and youth participants from all regions of the world in order to explore diverse views of the problems faced by children and young people across various justice systems globally, and advocate for changes. The 2021 Congress involved engagement with children and youth to help shape the Congress and act as a voice for justice with children. The 2025 Congress aims to build on this engagement by involving children and young people through the Committee in shaping the activities of the Congress.
We make sure that children and the youth’s voices count!
Listen to CYAG’s podcast on Restorative Justice
Why are we setting up child and youth advisory groups?
The aim of the World Congress is to gather children and adults that are specialised in different areas of justice – including policymakers, civil society representatives and child and youth advocates – to address the challenges faced by children in contact with justice systems.
The Right to be Heard
Children and youth have a right to be heard and express their views freely. This means that adults have an obligation to make space for children to share their views and take them into consideration in decisions that affect them. Children in contact with justice systems are more likely to not have their views heard or responded to.
Our Targets
- Promote child-friendly justice systems;
- Stimulate policy makers, law makers, civil society representatives and child and youth advocates to advance children’s rights;
- Engage and connect various actors and specialists in the field of child justice.
We are keen to work with young people who are passionate about defending human rights and who want to work with others in order to advocate for changes in justice systems.
Meet the 2021 Child & Youth Advisory Group Members
“My aim is to serve those communities that I grew up in to make a difference in young people's lives. I want to show others that no matter the challenges you come up against there’s always change to be made.”
“I am from Bucharest, Romania and I chose to be part of the World Congress on Justice With Children 2021 because I love to help and I considered that my experience in children's justice could help in shaping the Congress.”
"I love when I am able to work with children, teens and young adults while combining my love for helping and my job as a graphic designer to create with them visuals that can tell the world "Hi, we are here and we have something to say".
"We should channel all our energies for more concrete actions and less abstract work because CHILDREN'S VOICES COUNT"
“The reason I'm one of the members of the advisory group is that I believe that every child has a voice and has a right to be heard. I want to create a better place for children in justice and I believe I can help shaping the congress.”
“My passion is to create a healing and restorative system that works for young people and families, especially marginalised communities.”
"I'm from Uganda and I am passionate about making the world a better place by acting as a global voice for children in justice and climate change."
"I am a child member of the national commission on the rights of the child NCRC PAKISTAN.”
