The National Youth Rights Association is dedicated to defending the civil and human rights of young people in the United States. We believe certain basic rights are intrinsic parts of American citizenship and transcend age or status limits. As the world's leading democracy, the United States should not lag behind other nations in granting first-class citizenship to its young people.

NYRA aims to achieve its goals through educating people about youth rights, empowering young people to work on their own behalf, and by taking direct steps to lessen the burden of ageism.