Quote from Valentina aged 15 from Croatia: We are the present, not the future. We are here.

Before the EU elections in 2024, children gave their opinions on the subjects that matter to them. An advisory board with 10 children from six European countries helped with the survey and the 'The Europe We Want' report.

Every five years, citizens in Europe choose leaders to make big decisions, and these choices affect children too. ChildFund Alliance, Eurochild, Save the Children, SOS Children’s Villages, and UNICEF, organisations that care about children's rights, wanted to ask children what issues matter to them.

With the help of the Child and Youth Friendly Governance Project, they talked to children aged 10 to 18 from all over Europe to hear their thoughts. The Board created a survey and participated in focus groups with other children. Over 9,200 children across the EU completed the survey between November 2023 and January 2024.

Children provided feedback on important topics like school, feeling good about themselves, being treated fairly, staying safe, having a say in decisions, protecting our planet, and what they think leaders should work on.

Children’s Recommendations

The children said that leaders should listen to them more and include them in making plans. They want to help shape a world that is good for them and for everyone.

The top ten recommendations for the EU:

Rethink education: Try new ways of teaching, make sure children have a safe space to learn, and provide support.
Empower kids: Let children choose what they want to learn, teach them practical skills, and help them and their teachers learn about technology.
Support mental health: Teach about mental health, help children feel better, and solve problems that make children feel bad.
Access to help: Provide mental health resources and train teachers to support children so they can talk about issues that affect them.
Stop bullying: Start anti-bullying programmes in schools, help children who are bullied, and work with all children to be kind to each other.
Safety first: Make sure children are safe everywhere and protect them online.
Care for the planet: Everyone needs to work harder to take care of the Earth.
Green companies: Companies should help the Earth by doing things that are good for the environment, and schools and communities should be greener.
Learn about the EU: Children should know how they can be part of the European Union and have a say in what happens.
Youth Voice: There should be a group for teenagers to talk about important things and help make decisions.