by Michael Karpman

With strong support from Mayor Tom Potter, youth in Portland, Ore., have created their own bill of rights for the children and youth of the city and of Multnomah County.

On Aug. 16, the Portland City Council unanimously approved a resolution formally adopting ?Our Bill of Rights: Children and Youth,? making Portland the first city in the United States with a children?s bill of rights.

The bill, which incorporates input from thousands of young people in Portland and Multnomah County, affirms a list of fundamental rights in six areas: youth voice; education; health; general well-being; family, home and community; and recreation.

Some of the rights delineated in the bill include a voice in the community, quality education ?that will help us succeed in the future, beginning in preschool and continuing through high school and beyond,? and freedom from discrimination and prejudice.

?If the well-being of children is an indicator of the health of our community, then Our Bill of Rights: Children and Youth should be the thermometer by which we measure our health,? said Mayor Potter. ?I commit to finding the time, energy and resources necessary to support avenues for the voice and rights of youth to be held in these chambers.?

City-Youth Partnership
Mayor Potter and Multnomah County Chairwoman Diane Linn were at the forefront of efforts to create a youth bill of rights as early as the spring of 2005 after meeting with more than 100 area youth who directed the production of the bill.

Regular meetings between youth and other project leaders led to a strategy for garnering community feedback, identifying key themes in responses, drafting the document and gaining support from elected officials, schools and other groups.

With the assistance of city, county, school and community organization personnel, the city began to gather responses from thousands of children and youth ages 10 to 20 to the question, ?What are the rights of children and youth??

More than 30 young people participated in crafting the bill through a Committee on the Rights of Children and Youth, and the bill was ?ratified? by more than 400 youth at a Convention on the Rights of Children and Youth organized by the mayor?s office in June.

The document will serve to guide the development of city and county policies and to help local leaders understand the needs of young people from a youth perspective. The bill will also promote youth participation in decisions that affect them, whether it concerns education, safety or health.

Moving forward, the city plans to review and improve services available for children and youth, and create opportunities for youth engagement through internships, volunteer opportunities and youth positions on city boards.

?This is really intended to begin the conversation,? said Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong, policy manager of neighborhoods and education for the City of Portland.

Details: To view ?Our Bill of Rights: Children and Youth,? visit www.portlandonline.com/mayor/index.cfm?c=40070 or contact Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong at (503) 823-4277 or ewong@ci.portland.or.us.

To learn more about NLC resources to help municipal officials promote youth participation in local government, visit www.nlc.org/iyef or contact Rebecca Makar at (202) 626-3046 or makar@nlc.org.