Introduction: Understanding your rights

Rights, laws and rules

Canada’s laws, like our criminal and human rights laws, give us a guideline of how to act to protect important rights for everyone. In other places, we have rules that protect other rights, like your school’s code of conduct or family rules. Even communities have their own value systems and rules, like religious or cultural values.

While formal laws usually have more power than others, the importance of certain rules can change depending on the situation. For example, when you’re at school, the school’s rules – like a dress code – carry more weight than external laws — like your right to dress however you want.

But no matter what environment you’re in, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantees several rights for everyone in Canada. It makes sure we’re all treated equally, no matter our:

• Race
• National or ethnic origin
• Colour
• Religion
• Gender identity and expression
• Sexual orientation
• Age
• Physical or mental ability

This means that everyone has the right to be listened to, believed and treated with respect, regardless of who they are or what their circumstances are.

Sometimes, your rights may not be considered or respected, like when a law or rule is broken. In these situations, deciding what to do can be difficult. But by knowing your rights, you can decide whether, when and how to speak up for them.

Your rights as a young person

Young people have a specific set of rights, which are written in UNICEF’s Convention on the Rights of the Child. Take a look at these rights below— some of them may surprise you!

In addition to your rights, the United Nations (UN) has written several rules that indicate who these rights apply to and whose responsibility they are. To put it simply:

• Everyone under the age of 18 has these rights
• All adults should do what’s best for children
• The government is responsible for protecting your rights
• Your family is responsible for teaching you about and protecting your rights

To learn more about your rights as a young person, visit UNICEF.ca.

As a young person, you have the right to:

• Be alive
• Have a name and nationality
• Have an official identity
• Live with your family or a family who cares for you
• Have contact with your parents if in another country
• Be protected from kidnapping
• Have your opinion respected
• Share your thoughts freely
• Choose your religion and beliefs
• Have friends and join groups
• Have privacy
• Access information
• Be raised by your parents or guardians
• Not be hurt or mistreated
• Be looked after properly
• Receive care and protection if adopted
• Receive special protection as a refugee
• Receive special education and care if living with a disability
• Access healthcare, water, food and a safe environment
• Have your living arrangements checked in on regularly if living away from home
• Access social and economic help
• Have food, clothing and a safe home
• Receive an education
• Receive an education that develops your talents and abilities
• Practice any culture, language and religion
• Play and rest
• Be protected from unsafe work
• Be paid fairly
• Be protected from harmful drugs
• Be protected from sexual abuse
• Not be kidnapped or sold
• Be protected from exploitation
• Not be punished in a cruel way
• Be protected in war
• Get help if hurt or mistreated
• Access legal help and fair treatment
• Have the best laws possible apply to you
• Know your rights

Activity 1: My rights, my priority, my power

When we learn new things, it’s important to understand where those ideas come from, what they’re based on, and how they work in real life. From there, we can question what’s being said, if the ideas make sense, and point out any assumptions or generalizations in what we’re hearing. It’s an essential part of developing your skills and becoming an effective, thoughtful leader!

After reading the rights from UNICEF’s Convention on the Rights of the Child above, take a few minutes to reflect on the question below.

What surprised you most about the UNICEF Children’s Rights?

You have the right to be yourself

Not all rights are written as legal code. Some rights, like our personal rights, may not be as clear or obvious as others, especially when we feel pressure from our parents, teachers or friends.

The list below is an example of some of the rights you have as a person — even if there’s no law saying you have them. Understanding these rights helps you recognize the power and responsibility you have in your relationships, and gives you the opportunity to reflect on what you might want to change in them.

Personal Bill of Rights

I have the right to ask for what I want.

I have the right to say no to requests or demands I can’t meet.

I have the right to change my mind.

I have the right to make mistakes and not be perfect.

I have the right to follow my own values and standards.

I have the right to express all my positive and negative feelings in a manner that will not harm others.

I have the right to say no to anything when I feel I am not ready, it is unsafe, or it violates my values.

I have the right to be in a non-abusive environment.

I have the right to determine my own priorities.

I have the right not to be responsible for others’ behaviors, actions, feelings, or problems.

I have the right to expect honesty from others.

I have the right to feel angry at someone that I care for and to express this in a respectable manner.

I have the right to be uniquely myself.

I have the right to feel scared and to say, “I’m afraid.”

I have the right to say, “I don’t know.”

I have the right to make decisions based on my feelings, beliefs, and values.

I have the right to my own reality.

I have the right to my own needs for personal space and time.

I have the right to be playful.

I have the right to be healthy.

Activity 2: My personal Bill of Rights

After reading UNICEF’s Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Personal Bill of Rights above, reflect on which rights resonated with you most. Think about:

• What other rights do you have?
• Are there any times when you feel you have no rights, or your rights are limited?
• Do you have these rights everywhere, like at school, at home or in your community?

Then, create your own Personal Bill of Rights that applies to you anytime, anywhere.

Further reading and resources

• A Rights Guide for Girls, Young Women and Gender Nonconforming Youth (YWCA Canada)
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (United Nations)
• Canadian Human Rights Act (Government of Canada)
• Convention on the Rights of the Child: The Children’s Version (UNICEF)
• Convention on the Rights of the Child: Illustrated (UNICEF)