Solutions from Ukraine: teens collaborate on new guidebook to empower youth rights

Young individuals have the opportunity to vote for the rights that they deem significant for themselves.

In Ukraine, the #teens_rights campaign was introduced – a platform where teenagers can vote for their rights to be heard or share their own suggestions. The organizers will later analyze the voting outcomes and compile a guide on the rights of teenagers, written by them.

As Mariia Riznyk, the project's PR manager, notes, the idea arose after talking with teenagers. The team noticed that many things that confuse teenagers are not entirely obvious to adults, such as their need to openly talk about their wishes or to have personal space (these items are also on the list of rights that can be voted for).

 "We receive many applications from teenagers with suggestions. In particular, about the right to self-expression or the right to have free time. Or about the right to equal love in the family. When there are older or younger brothers or sisters, and the middle one seems to be less loved, but it is not obvious to parents," Mariia adds.

Applications are being sent in from various regions of Ukraine, including Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Zhytomyr. The most crucial rights for adolescents' well-being currently include the right to make their own life choices, learn from mistakes, and safeguard personal privacy.

The initiative aims to improve the dialogue between teenagers and adults.

"This will be a list of rules that parents should pay attention to when communicating with their teenagers. We will do everything possible to ensure that as many adults as possible read the guide," the PR manager of the initiative says.

To vote, teenagers must visit the website, where they can also contribute their ideas in a separate poll.

The Space of Strength space from the Dobrodiy Club and the skin care cosmetics brand for teens collaborated to create the project.