YMCA resident to lobby UN on youth justice issues

|PIC1|Joining young people from across the world, Daniella Abbate from Surbiton is set to travel to Geneva this week to lobby the United Nations on youth justice issues.

As part of YMCA England’s Youth Justice in Action Campaign, 21-year-old Abbate will team up with young people from Honduras, South Africa, Togo, Sierra Leone and Ireland to meet with representatives from the UN Council on Human Rights and advocate for better treatment of young people in justice systems around the world.

YMCA England National Secretary Ian Green said, “We are so proud of Daniella and all her hard work in preparing for this important visit to the United Nations. As a youth organisation, we believe it’s critical that young people’s voices are heard, especially on issues of such importance as youth justice.”

By supporting local YMCAs and young people in conflict with the law, the goal of the Youth Justice in Action Campaign is to change the tone of debate and raise awareness about youth justice.

“I hope to do my best to make a change by standing up for young people and letting the UN know that we are getting a rough deal from the justice system,” said Abbate, who has lived at the YMCA in Surbiton for the last eight months. “Young people should not be treated so badly and more needs to be done to look at why young people are committing crimes in the first place.”

The Youth Justice In Action campaign, delivered in conjunction with YCare International, gives young people the skills and confidence to get involved.

In preparing for her three week visit to Geneva, Abbate received training in lobby techniques and advocacy work from YMCA England.