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 "Know Your Rights and Claim
Them" - written with human rights lawyer
Geraldine Van Bueren, one of the original
drafters of the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights
of the Child - aims to equip kids with the
knowledge to safely challenge injustices.
"So many children are in harm's way across the
world and we're simply not doing enough," Jolie
told Reuters in an interview. "These are their
rights, decided years ago based on what would
make them healthy, balanced, safe and stable
adults."
Jolie, special envoy for UN refugee agency UNHCR,
said she hoped the book would also remind
governments of their commitment to the global
treaty enshrining children's civil, social,
political and economic rights.
"We spent a lot of time blocking those rights,
so this book is to help the kids have a tool
book to say 'these are your rights, these are
things you need to question to see how far you,
depending on your country and circumstance, are
from accessing those rights, what are your
obstacles, others that came before you and
fought, ways you can fight'. So it's a handbook
to fight back."
The mother-of-six said she put up the U.N
convention in her home for her children, but was
surprised to learn her own country, the United
States, has not ratified it.
"That infuriated me and made me start to
question what does that mean? So for each
country, what is this idea of, you have the
right to an education ... but then why is it so
many children are out of school? Why is it the
girls in Afghanistan are being harmed if they
go?" she said.
HOW TO BE AN ACTIVIST
The book addresses identity, justice, education
and protection from harm, among other issues. It
provides guidance on becoming an activist, being
safe and a glossary of terms and organisations.
"Through the book, you have to find your own
path forward, because we are very concerned
about the safety of children. We don't want
children just running around screaming for their
rights and putting themselves in danger," Jolie
said.
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 The book is peppered with
examples of powerful young voices from around
the world, including Nobel Peace Prize winner
Malala Yousafzai, climate activist Greta
Thunberg and 15-year-old Palestinian journalist
Janna Jihad.
"I was trying to ... show the world what
Palestinian children face on a daily basis,"
Jihad, who lives in the village of Nabi Salih,
in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, told Jolie
and other young activists in a video call,
attended by Reuters, where they discussed their
campaign work.
"It's really important to band together with
other young people ... that's the way we will
ever be able ... to make change," added
London-based Christina Adane, 17, who campaigns
for a healthier food system.
The book is out in Britain on Thursday and for
pre-order in other countries, with the aim of
worldwide publication.
"We're going to find that some adults in some
countries are going to block the book and the
children will find it so I think that's how it's
going to reach more children," Jolie said.
"The children will make each other aware of it
and they might even be a part of translating it
and getting it to each other."
(Reporting by Rollo Ross in Los Angeles and
Marie-Louise Gumuchian in London; additional
reporting by Sarah Mills; Writing by
Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Alex
Richardson)
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