The job of the Yukon Child & Youth Advocate Office is to look out for your rights. But it's important for YOU to know your rights, too. Knowing and understanding your rights helps you get the fair treatment you deserve.

All children and youth have rights. Rights automatically belong to you - the are not earned - and they cannot be taken away. Rights tell you what you are entitled to, so you should have a good idea of what your rights are. If you forget what your rights are, or want more information on them, you can call the Yukon Child & Yourth Advocate Office from anywhere in the Yukon Territory to talk to someone at the Yukon Child & Youth Advocate Office.  Dial 1-800-661-0408.

Children and youth's rights are written in the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child, a document agreed upon by all countries in the world, except the U.S. These rights fit into four basic groups:

• Be healthy. These rights include the right to medical and dental care, right to recreation, the right to go to school, the right to be fed, clothed and cared for.
• Be safe. These rights include the right to be protected from being hit or embarrassed as a punishment, the right to privacy, the right to be protected from being teased or bullied and the right to be protected from racism, sexism and other types of discrimination.
• Be yourself. These rights include right to take part in social and recreational activities, in your religion and your culture, and the right to speak in your own language.
• Be heard. These rights include the right to an advocate or an interpreter, and to a lawyer in certain situations, your right to learn important information like your rights, and to be informed about rules and decisions so you understand what's going on before you speak up.

You can find more information on the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child here (in child friendly language!).