Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean
Mental health issues among young people, bullying, and dangers originating from other countries are the primary concerns of children and youngsters in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba. This is according to the 2026 UNICEF Youth Advice, for which young people on the BES islands were surveyed for the first time.
Alongside their concerns, young people express a clear wish: they want to be taken more seriously by policymakers.
What is currently most on the minds of children and young people? UNICEF Netherlands asks this question every year to a representative group of children and young people (aged 10-18). Their concerns, ideas, and recommendations form the UNICEF Youth Advice.
For the first time, young people in Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba have been included in this advice. On the islands, mental health issues, bullying and dangers from other countries make up the top three concerns.
Mental health issues top the list, cited by 28% of respondents. Young people see their peers struggling with stress, feelings of gloom and loneliness, and they worry about the shortage of psychologists and therapists. They are calling for more accessible mental health support and for safe spaces where young people can talk about their feelings.
Bullying follows closely in second place, with 27%. Young people state that bullying is widespread and often involves discrimination; they also note a lack of clear instructions at school regarding how to address and report bullying.
A 15-year-old girl from Saba comments: “Therapists could come from outside the island, because I know most people don’t feel comfortable talking to people from Saba — people they see every day.”
Ranking third is the issue of threats from other countries. Young people from Bonaire and Saba, in particular, fear that insecurity in neighbouring countries could impact the islands. They point out, for instance, that illegal weapons and drugs reach the islands relatively easily by sea.
Young people were also asked whether they feel heard by policymakers. It turns out they do not: the Public Bodies receive a score of 5.4 for listening, while the Dutch government scores a 5.0. “We often fill out surveys, but too little actually changes as a result,” says one of the young people.
The Youth Advice is shared with politicians across all the islands, and the recommendations and insights are incorporated into the Child-Friendly Cities programme.
Research methodology
Commissioned by UNICEF Netherlands, Ipsos I&O conducted research among young people aged 10 to 17. The study consisted of both quantitative and qualitative phases.
A total of 113 young people across the BES islands completed a comprehensive questionnaire regarding social issues they consider important, their concerns about these issues, and potential solutions.
The questionnaire first gave young people the opportunity to suggest social issues they felt deserved attention.
Next, they could select the themes they deemed important from a broad list of topics. They were then asked to rank these topics by order of importance. In this way, the study identifies not only the issues young people mention but also those they prioritise most highly.
In addition to the questionnaire, a focus group was organised with young people from the BES islands to explore these topics in greater depth.
As the world’s most influential children’s rights organisation, UNICEF champions the rights of every child. UNICEF holds a unique mandate from the United Nations to ensure all children receive what they are entitled to — a mission it has pursued for over 75 years, stated a release.
“Thanks to our global presence, we can respond quickly whenever and wherever help is needed. We work systematically to improve living conditions by engaging governments, parents, and children themselves. Together with partners, donors, and volunteers, we ensure that every child can simply be a child — always and everywhere.”
The Daily Herald.
