Georgiana's Experience as a Youth Advocate

Georgiana was 16 years old when she became a leader, advocate, and researcher in Romania. As a member of the Children’s Consultative Committee of World Vision Romania and child rights advocate, she has spoken publicly before the European Union and to the Government of Romania’s Minister of Education, as well as to children and peers on issues of sexual violence and pandemic health safety; and a lead researcher on Our Research, Our Rights – Ending violence against children through the lens of child researchers. 

Georgiana worked with two World Vision co-writers to publish an article in the Journal for Youth Development, to offer recommendations to both adolescent and adult researchers on how to work together and engage in adolescent-led research. As a joint venture between adult and adolescent authors, we hope to challenge adultism and promote Positive Youth Development in our partnership. 

Georgiana’s call to child researchers: 

I do encourage young people to step in the light and change something or at least support those who want to change something. You should be open, creative, and make yourself heard even if maybe there are people who don’t want to hear you or are trying to silence you. You should believe in yourself and acknowledge the power you have. We can express ourselves through everything. 

Georgiana’s call to adult researchers: 

Equality is the best option because we can learn so many things from each other. I’m 17 and I’m not ashamed to say that I can learn something from a 9-year-old and also learn something from a 35-year-old. So why would some adults be ashamed in accepting that they can learn something from a teenager? Yes, I think that there’s no reason in being ashamed, we’re all different and we all live different lives and experiences; we face different problems. Let’s stop judging other people by age. We’re all humans, we have feelings and even if we live different lives, we share the same planet. This world would be a way better place if we respected each other more.