STATIA--A key milestone of the 2026 Work Conference of the Kingdom Taskforce for Children’s Rights in Sint Eustatius this week was the signing of a letter of intent committing the six Caribbean islands within the Kingdom of the Netherlands to strengthening meaningful and structural youth participation.
Through the letter of intent, the islands expressed their shared commitment to ensuring that children and young people are not only heard, but are actively involved in shaping the policies and decisions that affect their lives. The commitment is in line with one of the focus areas of the Taskforce Strategic Framework, Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and the recommendation of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child.
The Honorable Gerlien Croes, Minister of Kingdom Relations, Education, Youth, Innovation and Sport of Aruba.
The letter of intent also recognizes that youth participation is a shared responsibility of the entire government, and not only of ministries and departments directly responsible for youth affairs.
The signing took place during the three-day work conference, which brought together Taskforce members, dignitaries, youth representatives, experts and partners to reflect on progress, exchange knowledge and define concrete next steps for strengthening children’s rights across the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
This year’s central theme was meaningful youth participation. The conference focused on the importance of creating real opportunities for children and young people to contribute to policy, governance and decision-making processes in ways that are structured, consistent and taken seriously.
The program included keynote contributions on strengthening youth participation mechanisms, presentations on the National Youth Strategy and the Children’s Rights Collective of the Netherlands, island assignments on youth participation policy frameworks, presentations by youth representatives from Saba and Curaçao, and a dialogue with dignitaries on Kingdom-wide children’s rights challenges and collaboration.
UNICEF the Netherlands also presented the results of a baseline study, providing important insights to further support evidence-based action.
The conference also looked ahead to the coming years. In 2027, the participating islands aim to organize a conference where young people will actively participate and present participation scorecards, examples of co-creation, policy recommendations and reflections on the effectiveness of participation mechanisms.
In 2028, governments are expected to report on how youth input has been integrated into policy and implementation.
The Kingdom Taskforce for Children’s Rights concluded the conference with a renewed commitment to strengthening meaningful youth participation across the Caribbean part of the Kingdom.
The Taskforce continues to serve as a platform for collaboration, learning and accountability within the Kingdom. Its work is grounded in the shared belief that every child, on every island and in every country of the Kingdom, has the right to grow up safe, healthy, supported and heard.
