"The future depends on what we do in the present." - Mahatma Gandhi

My name is Jill, I am from Winnipeg, Manitoba , a town just in the middle of Canada.

When first starting my Master of Arts degree, I wanted to write my thesis on a topic that would make a difference. I wanted to focus on a topic to which I could contribute some sort of knowledge which in turn might help make people’s lives better. I thought of the most terrible crime I could imagine: sexual exploitation of children came to mind. I then decided that I wanted to join in the fight against sexual exploitation of children in order to learn more about it.

So here I am now, working for EICYAC and being responsible for the region of North America.

North America has its share of advantages and challenges when it comes to fighting commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC). The region itself is diverse and so are the people in it. The region is full of passionate people, including youth. The region is diverse, and relatively sparse which can be beneficial but also challenging. Perhaps the greatest challenge is addressing sexual exploitation of children in ways that are culturally aware and sensitive to the many different cultures found in North America; this is something that I hope to work on.

North America is a beautiful place, but not that beautiful when it comes to tackling CSEC issues. ( add a few sentences on your region)

During my term on the EICYAC, I plan to focus on mobilizing youth in the region and building strong and sustainable youth networks. There are going to be many challenges in my region, but I hope that with awareness raising campaigns, networking abilities, and a few other fun projects that the North American youth have up our sleeves, we will be able to overcome them.