Almost half of teenagers also fear war in the Netherlands

Almost half of the 10- to 18-year-olds in the Netherlands fear that there will also be war here. This is reported by UNICEF after a survey in March among more than a thousand children and young people between the ages of 10 and 18 into the effect of the war in Ukraine on them.

Almost all (96 percent) think of the war in Ukraine, and just over half do so often or regularly. Two in three experience “nasty feelings” such as anger, sadness or fear. More than one in three is hopeful that the war will end well.

Children and young people should be able to talk about their concerns at home and at school, UNICEF says. “By taking their feelings seriously, people around them can reduce worries and fears,” says the children’s rights organization.

The research shows that children and young people can share their concerns in their environment: four in five young people talk to their parents about the war in Ukraine and about half discuss the events with their peers. 92 percent of primary school students say that the war in Ukraine is discussed during class. This is 81 percent among secondary school students.