#StandUp4HumanRights – Looking back at the BIK Youth Panel 2019 for Human Rights Day

On Tuesday, 10 December 2019, we celebrate Human Rights Day, organised worldwide by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to honour the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 71 years ago.

Date 2019-12-10 Author BIK Team Section awareness, youth Audience children and young people

On 10 December 1948, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by resolution 217 (III) A. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights consists of 30 articles setting out a set of fundamental human rights to be universally protected.

With a 2019 theme of "Youth standing up for human rights", the United Nations (UN) aim to "spotlight the leadership role of youth in collective movements as a source of inspiration for a better future" and "to encourage, galvanise, and showcase how youth all over the world stand up for rights and against racism, hate speech, bullying, discrimination and climate change, to name a few".

The UN opted for this focus on youth to capitalise on the current momentum and highlight the benefits of youth participation to achieve sustainable development and effect positive change. It is also important that young people develop a better awareness of their rights and give them the keys to claim them.

Encouraging EU-level youth participation on digital policy through the BIK Youth Panel

Youth participation is a key strand of the Insafe network Safer Internet Centres' work across Europe. In youth panels – whether national or in the Better Internet for Kids (BIK) Youth Panel – young people express their views and exchange knowledge and experiences concerning their use of online technologies, as well as tips on how to stay safe online. They also advise on internet safety and empowerment strategy, help create innovative resources and disseminate online safety messages to their peers.

The pan-European BIK Youth Panel 2019 took place on Wednesday, 20 November 2019 in Brussels. During this day of intense preparations, the youth panellists came together to design a youth-led session at Safer Internet Forum (SIF) the next day.

In this session called "Flip the consultation – A dialogue led by youth", young people staged a performance and held table discussions with education and online safety professionals, policy makers, industry representatives and civil society organisations from around the world, discussing how their fundamental rights are being challenged on the internet and what they want decision makers to do about it.

For further information about Human Rights Day, visit the UN's website and keep an eye on Twitter on #HumanRightsDay and #StandUp4HumanRights.

For more information about the BIK Youth Panel, visit betterinternetforkids.eu/youth. To learn more about SIF 2019, visit betterinternetforkids.eu/sif2019.

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