The reporting centre was established in response to research by the Children's Ombudsman. This showed that children need an accessible place where they can report experiences of racism or discrimination.
The reports are recorded separately. This will create a national and ongoing overview of discrimination among young people, which can contribute to the development of more targeted policies.
Significant negative impact
“With the reporting centre discriminatie.nl the government is showing that it takes seriously the experiences and stories of children who face discrimination,” says Maryama Ismail of the NJi. “That is extremely important, because we know that discrimination can have a significant negative impact on children. It can lead to feelings of sadness, frustration and anger, and can also affect their behaviour. Not every child deals with this in the same way: for some, it manifests itself outwardly, while others withdraw more into themselves.”
That discrimination harms children is also evident from recent research by the Knowledge Platform for Inclusive Society. Some young people experience discrimination on a daily basis. The research shows that this comes at the expense of their well-being, self-esteem and prospects for the future.
It can be daunting to make contact
According to Ismail, a reporting centre specifically intended for children and young people can therefore make a great difference. “It offers a listening ear and appropriate support. At the same time, we must be aware that there can sometimes be a significant gap between experiencing painful, discriminatory situations and talking openly about them. For many children, it can be daunting to actually contact such a reporting centre because they find it difficult to share their story. That is precisely why it is essential for adults to talk to one another about what children need in order to take that step.”