# Amnesty International Youth Action Network Amnesty International's Youth Action Network connects high school students to the world's most pressing human rights issues through grassroots student chapters, digital campaigning, national youth conferences, and direct advocacy. For students who believe in justice and want to do more than discuss human rights—who want to actually act on them—Amnesty International provides the framework, community, and support to make a real difference. ## About Amnesty International Amnesty International is one of the most respected human rights organizations in the world, with over 10 million members and supporters across 150+ countries. Founded in 1961, AI has helped free thousands of prisoners of conscience, shaped international human rights law, and held governments accountable for abuses of power. AI won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1977. The organization's youth programs reflect its core belief: young people are not just the future of human rights activism—they are activists right now. ## Student Chapter Activities Amnesty International student chapters operate at high schools and universities across the United States. As a chapter member or leader, students: **Awareness Campaigns** Design and run on-campus campaigns about specific human rights issues—refugee rights, freedom of the press, LGBTQ+ protections, indigenous rights, death penalty reform, and more. **Letter Writing and Petitions** Participate in Amnesty's Write for Rights—the world's largest human rights letter-writing campaign—sending messages to governments and officials on behalf of individuals whose rights are being violated. **Direct Advocacy** Contact elected officials, attend local government meetings, and build relationships with community partners to push for policy changes aligned with AI's campaigns. **Fundraising and Solidarity** Raise funds for AI's global work and build solidarity with activists in other countries through sister-chapter partnerships. ## National Youth Programs **Youth Human Rights Conference** Annual national conference for student activists featuring workshops, speaker panels, and collaborative campaign-planning across regions. **Activism Training** AI USA provides workshops and toolkits on nonviolent direct action, grassroots organizing, public speaking, and policy advocacy—available to all chapter members. **Global Connections** Connect with Amnesty youth networks in other countries, participate in international campaigns, and understand global human rights movements firsthand. ## Who Should Join? The Amnesty Youth Action Network is ideal for students who: - Care deeply about justice, equity, and human rights - Want to turn awareness into action - Are drawn to advocacy, law, journalism, international relations, or public policy - Want to develop organizing and campaign skills used by professional advocates - Are willing to take a stand even when it's uncomfortable ## College Application Value For students applying to schools with strong social justice cultures—Columbia, NYU, Georgetown, American University, Tufts, Oberlin—sustained AI chapter leadership is a highly meaningful signal. It demonstrates values in action, not just charitable checkbox participation. Starting or building an AI chapter at your school is particularly compelling for students applying to selective programs in human rights law, international relations, or public policy. ## Getting Started Visit amnesty.org/en/youth to find or start a chapter at your school. Starting a chapter requires completing a brief application and connecting with an AI USA regional coordinator who will help you launch and support the chapter through its first months.