Netherlands launches national hotline for children to report discrimination
A new national hotline for children and teenagers to report discrimination was launched Tuesday in Utrecht. The service, called Discriminatie.nl Jeugd, allows children across the Netherlands to share experiences via phone or online form, ask questions, and receive support.
Trained staff listen to children’s reports and can take follow-up actions, depending on the child’s wishes. “That could be a conversation at school or at a sports club, or assisting with filing a formal complaint,” spokesperson Jessica Haanappel told NOS.
The hotline was created following recommendations from a study by the Children’s Ombudsman in Amsterdam, which found that children want an accessible way to report racism or discrimination. The study also referenced the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which stresses that children must have the ability to report violations of their rights.
“Until now, there was no separate place where children could report discrimination. Mostly parents made those reports. Now we hope children will report themselves,” Haanappel noted.
Roline de Wilde, director of Kindertelefoon, said a dedicated point for children to discuss discrimination is essential. At the phone service, staff hear daily accounts of bullying, name-calling based on skin color, and exclusion due to gender identity or sexual orientation. “These experiences cause fear, shame, and sadness, and many children don’t know what to do,” she told NOS.
