For debate in the Standing Committee — see Rule 15 of the Rules of Procedure

Doc. 10000

21 November 2003

Teenagers in distress: a social and health-based approach to youth malaise

Opinion¹

Committee on Culture, Science and Education

Rapporteur: Vitaliy Shybko, Ukraine, Socialist Group

I.       Conclusions by the Committee

The Committee on Culture, Science and Education shares the concern of the Social, Health and Family Affairs for the situation of young people and supports the report and the draft recommendation presented by that committee. It wishes, however, to stress two points. Firstly, that any policies to address the problems of teenagers in distress should be designed and implemented on the basis of consultation with young people for example through youth organisations. Secondly, we are convinced that rather than strengthening the traditional role of the family, member states should promote policies designed to foster the successful social integration of young people.

Amendments

In paragraph 10 add, after “member states”:

“, in consultation with the relevant youth organisations,”.

In sub-paragraph 10.iii, replace the words “..strengthen the family in its traditional role of fostering..” by “..strengthen the role of parents in fostering ..”.

II.        Explanatory memorandum

The report “Teenagers in distress: a social and health-based approach to youth malaise” reviews current social changes and their consequences for young people in Europe.

Essentially, "youth, teenagers, young people" fall into the period of life between childhood and adulthood. This period is usually also one of the problems of their “struggling” to fit themselves into society. The word "problem" does not necessarily imply that this is a period in which storm and stress predominate; it can be a period marked by good health and high achievement. Nevertheless, difficult decisions and adjustments face young people in today's society. In this opinion, therefore, I would attempt to identify some of the fundamental problems faced by young people today and possible solutions to these problems.

Perhaps the most fundamental problem faced by young people today is unemployment. Because of the universal downturn in the economy, coupled with the development of technology whereby particular jobs and skills are made obsolete, many young persons today are experiencing problems in obtaining jobs. The threat of unemployment means financial worries, frustration and discouragement. These problems are invariably compounded by peer pressure whereby young people are forced either consciously or unconsciously to become involved in antisocial activities by people of their own age group. What can be done to solve the problem of unemployment and its ills?

One method which can be adopted to curb the problems which arise out of youth unemployment, involves the providing of relief or protection from the financial hardships of unemployment. For instance, a compulsory unemployment insurance system could be adopted in which workers and their employers contribute to a fund out of which payments are made to those young people who are eligible for work, but cannot find work.

Other methods which can be adopted include measures aimed at creating conditions that reduce the level of unemployment. These would include: (a) programmes for retraining, in order to give would-be employed young people new skills that are in demand; (b) subsidies and other incentives to encourage workers to move out of areas of labour surplus into areas in which labour is in short supply.

Also, young people should be encouraged to enter higher education in order that they would be qualified for the very skilled labour force required by industrialised and "semi-industrialised" countries.

The Parliamentary Assembly has addressed the problem of youth unemployment in Recommendation 1023 (1986). Many other Assembly texts presented by the Economic, the Social and the Cultural Committees also deal with the same issue.

Another common problem facing young people today is the development of tension between parents and children. In their eagerness to achieve adult status, young people may resent any restrictions placed upon them. Often young people may not be willing to admit that they have doubts and fears about taking on adult responsibilities and freedoms. They invariably believe that their parents are overanxious and overprotective. This usually creates tension between parents and young people. Parents should exercise control over young people, but with sympathy and understanding.

An area of immense concern, and which poses a problem for young people and their parents, is sex and dating.

Teenage pregnancies and venereal disease are also common problems facing young persons or teenagers. This can severely disrupt their education. Moreover, being pregnant at such an early age can also have deleterious effects on health. Perhaps what is most important is the risk of the deadly disease AIDS. Many young persons today have contracted AIDS and are suffering the consequences, being terminally ill.

What can be done to address these problems? First, many of the sexually related problems of young people can be lessened if young people are given sufficient and suitable instruction well in advance of the time when sex is an immediate concern for them. Some surveys have shown that the primary source of sex information for most children is their peers, not their parents. Secondly, the postponement of sex prior to marriage can go a long way to reduce the incidence of AIDS.

I should like to leave with you this idea which I have been thinking about a great deal of late: the necessity for us as parents, as teachers, as older people, to focus our minds on the problems of youth, to face realities, to face the world as it is and the lives that they have to live — not as we wish they were, but as they are — and, having done that, to give our sympathetic help in every way that we can.  

Young people in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe are facing specific changes and challenges in their societies. The new society brought new opportunities and new choices but also new risks: early and unprotected sexual activity, infections, depression and anxiety, suicide and injury due to accidents and violence. There are a lot of reasons for this.

I would like to go into detail on the children who are left without parents while their parents are safe and sound. No, they are not even abandoned, they are left in the hands of their elder brothers and sisters, grandmothers and grandfathers because their parents have gone off in search of a living. Early and

unprotected sexual activity and, as a consequence, infections, and tobacco, alcohol and illegal drug consumption often prosper in such families. We can add this cause to the list of causes mentioned in the part of the report on “Social change and consequences for young people in transition countries”.

Having looked at most of the fundamental problem areas for young people and the solutions to these problems, I would hope that the report “Teenagers in distress: a social and health-based approach to youth malaise” would serve as a vehicle for helping young people today to appreciate and understand some of the problems which confront them and how they can attempt to address them.

Additionally, it is my fervent hope that those in authority will work together with young people to help alleviate these problems. We must remember that the young people are the leaders of tomorrow; consequently, it is incumbent on adults to set the pace for an uninterrupted transition.

Better education, employment, self-development and leisure opportunities are just a few examples of where we can help our young people to reduce their stresses.

But authorities must not act as the Ukrainian authorities act. The Ukrainian authorities understand the whole tragedy of this situation but explain the high level of juvenile suicides by the fact that our children grow up very fast.

We understand that the solution of this problem needs a high budget. And as we know, some states cannot permit themselves to spend money for these purposes. For this reason I would like to recommend that the governments use the State loan of the International Monetary Fund to provide programmes for such issues as AIDS, drug prevention or health education.

I would like also to recommend that member states of the Council of Europe take into account the Assembly Recommendation 1585 (2002) on “Youth policies in the Council of Europe” and the reply of the Committee of Ministers (Doc.9931).

At the meeting of the Committee on Culture, Science and Education (Paris, 17 October) criticism was expressed of the term “traditional role of the family” and it was feared that it might lead to misinterpretations. Without questioning what the traditional role of the family might be I propose to delete the reference altogether. The question is far wider.

We cannot pass over the fact that the world is a hard world for young people and that so far we have not really given their problems as much attention as we should.

* * *

Reporting committee : Committee on Social, Health and Family Affairs

Committee for opinion: Committee on Culture, Science and Education

Reference to committee: Doc. 8572, Reference n° 2457 of 4 November 1999

Approved by the Committee on 19 November 2003

Secretariat of the Committee: MM. Grayson, Ary, Mrs Theophilova-Permaul

¹        See Doc. 9986 tabled by the Social, Health and Family Affairs Committee.