Step 1: Identify
You may already be a youth advocate or have some ideas in mind, but if you have not already done so, identify the key human rights issues or concerns affecting young people in your context that you would like to address.
Identify the key human rights issue or concern affecting young people that you want to address
Consider the extent to which the issue affects young people more broadly. Some things to think
about:
- Does it affect all young people, or only a specific group?
- How does it affect different groups of young people in different ways? For example, how are young women, LGBTQI+ youth, young refugees and migrants, young people with disabilities, youth living in rural areas, young people of African descent indigenous youth, youth belonging to minority groups, etc. affected?
- How can you reach out to and involve the different groups affected to ensure their participation? It is important to put youth at the center to advocate for their rights, and to avoid making assumptions without consulting those who are directly affected.
If you have identified several different issues or concerns, narrow your focus down to one key concern or human rights violation that affects young people in your context.
Important: make sure you are not putting yourself in danger and know where to turn if you are at risk.
For more information on how to be prepared and take precautions, see the question
Step 2: Set Goals
Once you have narrowed your focus on one key human rights concern for youth in your context, you will need to identify what you want to achieve.