Convention on the Rights of the Child
In the Netherlands, the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1995 was an important step in boosting youth policy higher up the agenda. The elements of the convention – participation, protection and provisions – were already present in youth policy in the Netherlands, but were never defined as such. In recent years, the convention has become more and more important as the foundation on which youth policy in the Netherlands is based.
The CRC provides a basis for the concept of youth participation as it is interpreted and implemented in the Netherlands, where it is defined primarily in terms of children and young people being actively involved in and sharing responsibility for their living environment. Youth participation is associated with having a certain degree of freedom and with taking initiative. The important thing is that children and young people are involved both in the thinking process and in the activities and discussions concerning them. It all starts with joining in.
Society cannot tolerate a situation in which children and young people stay on the side, do not get an education or join the work force, and do not become part of the social structure. Young people are the future of society, and society has high hopes for the young. When a young person leaves school before getting a basic diploma, that young person’s chances of succeeding in society drastically reduced, but there is also a higher risk of a waste of talent and investment. Therefore, children and young people have to be fully involved to the best of their potential. If the education offered fails to capture the interest of the young, it is more likely that they will drop out, as opposed to when education is matched to their experiences and their interests.
Young people need to be taken seriously and be involved in giving input and taking part in the debate. Youth participation can, for instance, be achieved through youth panels and youth councils that focus on joining in the discussion, exerting influence, having a say and standing up for young people’s rights. These formal structures are not the only or most important ways for young people to participate. Youth participation allows children and young people to exert an influence on and be involved in their community.
Protection is another cornerstone of the CRC. The Netherlands has many regulations and facilities that serve to protect children and young people. This responsibility lies primarily with the parents or carers, as stipulated in the Civil Code. If things threaten to go wrong, then the government is responsible for providing support and protection. It is further responsible for developing policies that stimulate the positive development of all children, while at the same time pursuing a policy of support and protection for those groups that are vulnerable. A notable youth policy development in the Netherlands, as far as protection is concerned – particularly for vulnerable groups – has been the adoption of the new Youth Care Act in 2005. This new legislation for the first time reflects the right of children and young people to youth care. It also simplifies and improves access to youth care, for both children and parents.
The convention also addresses the right to provisions such as education and health care. Again, there have been many developments in this field in recent years. More possibilities have been created for parenting support. New legislation on local social support will enhance the potential for municipalities to create structures that are more coherent. The new law on child day care supports parents to reconcile work and family life. There is also much more emphasis on general facilities for children and young people at a local level, such as playgrounds.
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