Geneva, WWSF Press Release

Launch YouthEngage.com

International Youth Day – 12 August 2010 

Informed and empowered young people can change the world!

• Welcome to YouthEngage.com

To commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the WWSF campaign and World Day for Prevention of Abuse and Violence against Children and youth – 19 November, we are happy to announce the launch of an interactive website YouthEngage.com

YouthEngage.com is based on a challenge: how can young people better prevent abuse and violence against children and youth? With tools and suggestions on how to get involved, develop competences and become prevention actors, YouthEngage.com serves the emergence of a culture of prevention. The creativity of young people can shape societies in ways that respond to their need for security and socialization.

WWSF invites its coalition member organizations and all other child/youth related networks and groups to contact their constituencies, members, schools, sports clubs, youth groups, etc., and share the existence of YouthEngage.com

• Mission

- to empower young people to get involved in issues that affect them
- to mobilize young people through youth groups, school programs, scout movements, sports clubs, working children’s organizations and children’s parliaments to become prevention actors
- to build capacity, educate skills and increase knowledge for prevention, using the recommendations for young people of the WWSF guide “Prevention is Key!”
- to promote inter-youth dialogues and education to help reduce/end violence
- to know, advocate and defend the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
- to know, share and discuss the UN Study on violence against children
- to share links to other education and support programs, videos, conferences, photographs, etc.
- to invite young people to sign a pledge and take a stand for prevention of abuse and violence against children and young people
- to encourage government collaboration with young people and their organizations to set up structures for child/youth participation
- to value the contributions of young people in achieving positive change
- to preserve the dignity and safety of children and young people everywhere.

Youth 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.

Young people basically need tasks for growing, good examples to help them find their way and participate in communities where they feel safe and understood.

A French version of YouthEngage.com will be up and running in September 2010. Come back and find out more. Everyone has a role to play no matter how small your contribution may seem.

“No violence against children is justifiable and all violence against children is preventable.”
- Prof. Paulo Pinheiro, Independent Expert for the UN Study on Violence against Children

For more information, contact

Elly Pradervand – WWSF Executive Director 
E-mail: contact@youthengage.com
YouthEngage.com

Addresse: Children-Youth Section c/o - WWSF Women’s World Summit Foundation
P.O. Box 143, 1211 Geneva 20, Switzerland
Tel. +41 (0) 22 738 66 19 – Fax: +41 (0) 738 82 48

Email: contact@youthengage.com and/or wdpca@wwsf.ch

WWSF web sites

• www.youthengage.com
• www.woman.ch
• www.white-Ribbon.ch
• Find us on Twitter and Facebook (coming soon)