Drugs the main concern for teens

The spread of drugs is Malta's most pressing problem, according to teenagers questioned in the first EU -wide survey among 15-18 year olds on the rights of the child.

Nearly 40 per cent of local teenagers in that age group consider drugs as "a problem which should be tackled as a priority" by the authorities.

This percentage is much higher than the average in the EU-27, where only 17 per cent of the teenagers questioned see the problem as the top priority. In general, violence against children emerged as the most serious threat to young people.

In Malta, violence was mentioned as a second priority by 22 per cent followed by alcohol abuse and nicotine addiction, underscored by 21 per cent of respondents.

The survey was conducted by Misco among 400 respondents in Malta last February.

It also shows that Malta's youths are generally aware that children have specific rights. Sixty-six per cent of respondents said they were aware that people under 18 enjoy special rights compared to adults. Only 34 per cent answered that they didn't know.

However, only 27 per cent of Maltese youngsters think that children's rights are very well protected. Fifty-one per cent said they considered their rights only "fairly" protected.

Education emerged as the most important issue for the Maltese respondents. Eighty-one per cent said it should be the most important area where the government should take the particular interest of children into account.

Other priority areas were health (44 per cent) and security (36 per cent), for instance being protected against violence.

Asked which information channel they would use to find out about their rights, 83 per cent of Maltese youths mentioned the internet. Only 14 per cent mentioned TV, the second favourite information channel.

On an EU level, the majority of the young people interviewed (67 per cent) 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 per cent) and that they are not aware of their rights (76 per cent).

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