5Rights elects new Youth Council

5Rights is strengthening its commitment to meaningful child participation through its newly elected Youth Council, bringing together 26 young people from 18 countries to ensure children’s views are heard and reflected in the organisation’s work.

Image: [Left to Right] Sir Peter Wanless; Baroness Beeban Kidron; Rosamund Pike; 5Rights Youth Ambassadors Haydn, Dilly, and Elizabeth; and Leanda Barrington-Leach.

“Young people are the experts in how they use tech. If you don’t involve us, solutions will be tone-deaf and ignored,” says Mueez, 17, from Pakistan. He is one of the 26 children and young people from 18 countries, spanning every continent, who make up the newly elected 5Rights Youth Council.

5Rights was born from a question about what it means to grow up in a digital world. This question has led to thousands of conversations with children and young people about their online experiences that since then, have shaped the organisation’s research, advocacy and policy work.

“As young people are some of the worst affected by the attention driven algorithms, we should have a voice in creating change. When new policies are implemented without consulting young people, it can create anger and mistrust due to policies that feel unfair or that prevent us from gaining essential digital skills. Therefore, young people need to ensure that they are involved for a better digital future.” – Amelie, 16, UK

The newly elected Youth Council builds on this commitment by ensuring children’s perspectives continue to inform 5Rights’ work through a structured programme for meaningful participation. Throughout their mandate, Youth Council members will regularly discuss emerging digital issues, contribute to research and policy discussions, work alongside teams across 5Rights, and engage directly with senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.

The Youth Council has been designed to reflect a broad range of lived experiences. The selection process was co-designed with young people, and members represent diverse ages, genders, backgrounds and regions from across the world, bringing together different perspectives on what it means to grow up in today’s digital environment.