Young People In Greenlandic Society

This is the second of SFI's four reports following the NAKUUSA, or "Let's be strong" project. The object of the project is to ensure that the conditions and rights of Greenlandic children are strengthened. It is part of the work currently going on in Greenland to encourage ordinary people (including the young) to take more social responsibility for their own well-being and that of others.
A total of 373 young people between 13 and 15 years-old from towns and settlements in the four municipalities in Greenland were asked about their knowledge and attitudes to social problems. These were ordinary young people, the majority of whom live with one or both parents.
The survey shows that only very few of the young people believe they have good knowledge about social problems. At the same time, most young people have a clear understanding that drinking, smoking hash, sexual abuse and crime committed by young people and parents are social problems.
The young are also extremely keen to see action against these social problems. Eighty percent of the young people believe that something must be done to reduce the large amounts of alcohol and hash consumed by young people and parents. Three-quarters of the girls and half of the boys also believe that something must be done about the high incidence of sexual abuse. The same applies for drinking and crime, poor school attendance, no education, no work and young people with psychological problems.