On Thursday 19 March 2009, three of the young campaigners who have been in Geneva, spoke at a side event at the 10th Session of the UN Human Rights Council.
Side event
The event, jointly organised by Y Care International, the World Alliance of YMCAs and Defence for Children International, drew in 50 people, including Council delegates from 10 countries. Three of the young campaigners spoke about their experiences with the juvenile justice system and urged those present to consider the rights of young people when making decisions on youth justice. Also speaking was special guest, Mr H Kotrane, a member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the CRC Task Force on Juvenile Justice.
Telling their stories
Daniella, from the UK, spoke about her experiences at the hands of the law when she was arrested for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thandanani, from South Africa, spoke about how he was imprisoned for 4 years for a crime he did not commit, and how he was kept in a cell with adult prisoners and suffered abuse. Martin, from Ireland, read the story of Makilawe from Togo, who wasn't able to attend the event because of visa restrictions. Read the speeches of the young people below.
Daniella's speech
Martin's speech
Thandanani's speech
Influencing a UN Resolution
The young campaigners, who have been in Geneva for the past two weeks, have taken messages from young people around the world to the Human Rights Council. Not only did the young people speak at the side event, two young people successfully made oral interventions at the Council and the group lobbied the Austrian Government on a resolution which they tabled on juvenile justice. The resolution, which was passed on Friday without a vote in the Human Rights Council, includes a paragraph (paragraph 10) on the rehabilitation and reintegration of former child offenders. This paragraph is present solely because of the lobbying efforts of the campaigners, who lobbied the Austrian Government to include the paragraph and the Governments of Ireland and the UK to co-sponsor it.
Speaking after the side event, Martin said: "We've come here as a group to make a change and we have. We've organised a side event, we've met with delegates from our countries and we've influenced a resolution. It's history in the making!"
Funded by the European Commission
