More than two-thirds of nearly 12,000 children and young people surveyed by UNICEF in Portugal say adults never ask for their opinion, and about half express concerns about mental health and social media.
In the second edition of the “I have a voice on issues” survey conducted by UNICEF Portugal in collaboration with the Center for the Study of Public Opinion (CESOP) of the Catholic University of Portugal, 11,834 children and young people aged between 3 and 20 people living in Portugal were surveyed , and the results “show that 71% of children feel adults never or rarely ask for their opinion, the same as 2021 (76%).”
“In addition, 70% of children say their opinions never or rarely influenced decisions, and 28% say they never voiced their opinions,” UNICEF Portugal added in a statement on the findings.
The survey, first launched in 2021, aims to be “an initiative to listen to the concerns and needs of children and young people living in Portugal, with the aim of creating opportunities to participate and influence decisions that directly affect their lives.” .
“The main concerns for children and young people are mental health (58%), internet and social media (44%) and discrimination (42%), remaining at the same level as the 2021 results. The majority (62%) of children and young people believe these are the biggest problems because they could affect their future, and 45% because of what they see in the news or online,” the statement said.
According to the results, “most children discuss these topics at home (62%), but almost half (48%) do not talk about them at school.”
The study also found an increase in feelings of insecurity among girls, with 27% saying they felt insecure.
“The environment is a priority for children and young people, with 42% of those surveyed indicating that caring for the environment is a key aspect of improvement in their communities, followed by the quality of schools (35%) and public transport (28%).” also identify pollution (65%) as the main environmental issue that affects them,” the statement added.
UNICEF Portugal releases the survey data on World Children’s Day, arguing that “democratic citizenship education and active participation should be incorporated into children’s lives from an early age, helping them understand how they can have a positive impact on society.”
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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