The Bhutan Youth Development Fund (BYDF) is a prominent civil society organization in Bhutan that provides support to the country’s youth. Their mission is to ensure that young people have equal access to opportunities for progress, education, and meaningful employment. BYDF’s efforts are focused on empowering young people to become active, engaged citizens who can positively impact their communities and country.

In October, KidsRights started a partnership with BYDF to launch the Young Volunteers in Action (Y-VIA) Changemaker project. This project is an ongoing initiative that provides young people between the ages of 12 to 24 with a platform to identify children’s rights issues in their communities and develop solutions to address them.

The Y-VIA Changemaker project is an exciting opportunity for young people in Bhutan to make a difference in their communities. After three workshops conducted with the Y-VIA mentors to inform them about the partnership and the project, the members of the project are now sharing with KidsRights their plans to address children’s rights issues in the community.

The Y-VIA Changemaker project has already mobilized 118 Y-VIA members from eight districts in Bhutan. The project involves a total of 15 schools and two institutions across the country. These young people are working together to identify and address children’s rights issues such as access to education, child labor, and child marriage.

The collaboration between BYDF and KidsRights has created an exciting opportunity for young people in Bhutan to become engaged citizens who are dedicated to improving the lives of children in their communities. By providing a platform for young people to identify and address children’s rights issues, the Y-VIA Changemaker project is helping to build a culture of active citizenship in Bhutan.

If you are interested in partnering with KidsRights or learning more about the Y-VIA Changemaker project, please contact us at partners@kidsrights.org. Together, we can create a world where every child’s rights are respected and protected.