This survey (Flash Eurobarometer 235: The Rights of the Child) was conducted for the very first time among adolescents only, to determine how much young people (15-18 years old) know about the Rights of the Child[1], the extent to which these rights are protected, and which actions should be taken as a priority to improve them.

Awareness and information about the Rights of the Child

The majority of the young people interviewed (67%) were aware that people under 18 enjoy specific rights compared to adults.

When asked which problems they thought might be encountered by others in their age group trying to defend their rights, the most commonly mentioned problems are that children would not know how to go about it and whom to contact (79%) and that they are not aware of their rights (76%).

When asked which actions to promote and protect the Rights of the Child should be taken as a priority at European level, 88% of respondents mentioned more information to children about their rights and where to enquire about them (e.g. through information campaigns, or via the creation of a website)

Over two thirds (70%) of young people consider the Internet to be the easiest information channel to be used in order to find out information about their rights.

Protection of the Rights of the Child

Approximately three-quarters of respondents (74%) consider that the Rights of the Child are very well or fairly well protected in their country. 19% of interviewees stated that these rights were incompletely protected in their country, and 3% believe they were not protected at all.

82% of respondents say that neither they, nor anyone they knew (under 18) had ever tried to seek help when they thought their rights had been violated. Only 7% say that they personally looked for help in such a case and 10% stated that they do know someone who tried to look for help when they thought that a child’s rights had been violated.

Policy areas of interest regarding the Rights of the Child

The survey asked for opinions about the areas where governments or public administrations should particularly take the interests of children into account when adopting legislation or making decisions. Education was mentioned by 74% of respondents. The second most frequently mentioned topic (43%) was security (e.g. protection against violence), followed by (40%) health and social affairs (e.g. access to hospital care or public transport).

Respondents were asked which one of a number of problems should be addressed as a top priority in their country. Violence against children was considered the most important problem to be tackled by almost a quarter of young people (15-18 years old) in all Member States (23%). One out of five respondents (20%) indicated that sexual exploitation of children should be addressed as a priority at a national level, and almost the same percentage mentioned the problem of drugs (18%).

[1] According to the UN New York Convention on the Rights of the Child and to Article 24 of the EU Charter of fundamental rights, “a child means every human being below the age of eighteen years”.