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JUSTICE
Youth engagement
The Mary Ward Centre is committed to education and advocacy for the dignity and rights of all people, with a special focus on women and children. Our youth engagement initiatives respond to the cry of young people: “nothing about us, without us.” We work with youth aged 15-24 years to encourage their political participation, creating space and opportunity for them to have their voices heard by decision-makers.
At international and national levels, we advocate for the achievement of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, a global framework for the flourishing of all people and the planet.
At the United Nations, we advocate through the CJ/IBVM UN NGO and bring youth representatives to participate in UN conferences such as the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the Commission on Social Development, and the Commission on the Status of Women. Youth representatives are given the opportunity to meet with decision-makers and participate in the UN system.
In Canada, our advocacy efforts focus on building the capacity of youth for political participation. We create opportunities for youth to dialogue with federal decision-makers. We advocate for the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in particular, SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).