News item | 13-07-2023 | 2:35 pm
Governments are increasingly realizing that it is important to involve young people more in important social themes that affect them, such as the climate, the housing market and education. For example, there is the proposal that young people from the age of 16 can participate in the citizens’ forum Climate, there is more attention for democracy and the rule of law in education and organizations that familiarize young people with (local) democracy are supported. Minister Bruins Slot of the Interior and Kingdom Relations writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives.
Minister Bruins Slot: “It is important that young people participate in our democracy and are involved. I recently visited the project day of youth organization Tienskip, where about 800 young people discussed democracy with each other. On such a project day, young people work on local issues such as safety on the street and the housing shortage and they work together on concrete solutions. Their perspective, ideas and input matter and improve policy and decision-making.”
Promote democratic citizenship
In the past year and a half, discussions have been held with various young people and youth organizations about their involvement in democracy. The suggestions that young people make fit in well with current activities. For example, young people underline the importance of citizenship education. For this purpose, various organizations receive subsidies to support the knowledge about and involvement of young people in democracy and the rule of law. For example, ProDemos provides teaching packages to secondary schools in which students gain insight into how democracy works through play and debate. Another example is the pilot project Politics in Every Class, which focuses on improving the debating skills of secondary school students. Pupils also visit town and provincial councils, the House of Representatives and the European Parliament.
Towards structural consultation with young people
Young people indicate that they find it important that their network and expertise are used. They are increasingly involved in policy-making processes in different ways. For example, a citizens’ forum on climate and energy policy is being prepared in which Dutch people from the age of 16 can participate by drawing lots. Various activities are being developed around the citizens’ forum specifically aimed at involving young people.
The Minister of the Interior and Kingdom Relations calls on ministries and local authorities to actively invite young people and youth organizations to contribute to policy. For example, there are already various councils such as the Youth Environment Council of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management and the youth think tank West Wing and the pilot international Youth Advisory Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Several ministries also work well with the UN youth representatives and have regular contact with relevant youth organisations. The Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations has also collaborated with the Association of Netherlands Municipalities on the Democracy and Youth project. From this, the manifesto #MijnStemTelt has been drawn up to bring administrators and young people into contact with each other in an accessible way. 66 municipalities have now signed the manifesto. For example, the aforementioned projects and activities ensure that young people are more involved in subjects that affect them and that their voice counts.