Councils say young people need to be involved in policy-making

Young people’s place in society is under pressure. Young people must therefore be more involved in policy-making, said 14 advisory councils in a joint call to politicians and society. The pandemic was not the last crisis in the lives of young people, according to the councils.

"Many young people in the Netherlands are doing well and are resilient, but their position is under pressure," the councils said in a report presented in The Hague on Monday. "That becomes visible in education, on the labor market, and on the housing market, among other places." The Health and Wellness Council, the Council for Culture, the Council for Public Health and Society, and the Social-Economic Council, along with several others, were involved in writing the report. Four youth organizations also contributed to the publication.

Opportunities are not divided equally, they said. Certain groups of young people, in particular, have a harder time, such as children whose parents have a low socio-economic background, young people with chronic conditions, and ethically diverse young people. 

The councils believe young people must be more actively involved in policy-making so that they can help determine their own future. "If we do not sufficiently appreciate the voice and interests of young people, the policy will not be able to provide for that hopeful future."