Drifting into a nanny state

Wrong! We’re getting it all wrong! In the space of a few weeks we rock our self-governing brass tacks twice, first by contemplating putting local council elections on hold because of ‘election fatigue’, a direct and collateral impact on 16-year old voters, and now the Broadcasting Authority is proposing that we shield young people from politics, as though politics is the devil in disguise.

Wrong. Off-beam. Erroneous. I cannot stop emphasizing this. Quoting maltatoday.com.mt (accessed 23/9/2014): “The new rules also limit the participation of under-16 year olds in political activities. This ban may contrast with the lowering of the voting age to 16, which would necessarily result in the politicisation of people on the verge of turning 16.”

And I ask:

Was there any direct consultation with young people on this issue or did we just lift a couple of paragraphs from some country’s document?

Are politicians happy with having to be censored by the media and not allowed to engage with young people?

Does this mean that ministers and other MPs have to be stopped from meeting young people at school, at the youth centres, to celebrate their sport, artistic or other achievements (when we know it’s interest in the cause but also political mileage most MPs are after)?

‘Life is politics and politics is life’

And the more we talk about getting young people off the political radar the worse off we are. As media expert Rev. Dr Joe Borg rightly stated in my study ‘Minors in Advertising and during election campaigns’ (2013): “Policy, and more so, legislation has to be based on research. I do not favour the use of the faces of Maltese children on political billboards or propaganda. But is there any evidence which shows that such depiction has resulted in negative effects? If there is no such evidence I would be in favour of an educational campaign with parents and lobbying with political parties instead of legislation.”

Unquestionably, young people should be actively engaged performers in ‘politics’. Professor Kenneth Wain, educator, philosopher and ethicist says in this same study that there exists “an issue for the protection of minors” in this entire wrangle. Even so, he is completely contrary to a ‘nanny State’ whereby the government would overrule parental/guardianship rights and take over certain decision-making responsibilities that are intrinsically linked to the parents/guardians.

Young people are broadly and socially betrothed and generally ready to be engaged if given the opportunity. This in itself is reassuring. They are not stupid beings that cannot decipher the truths that will set their thinking right – let’s stop treating them in this way!

In effect, the renowned Educational Quality Improvement Programme (EQUIP) states: “Youth participation refers to the contribution that young people make to the design and implementation of the policies and programmes that affect them, their communities, and nations. Youth participation is an essential aspect of any successful youth development initiative.”

Quoting Alison Bezzina, blogger and marketing strategist from this same study: “They [young people] should be taught how to filter political speeches and why some politicians might act one way and another... and not in the red and blue kind of way but rationally and as objectively as possible. They should be made aware of the power of political parties and what political scene exists... in the grander scheme of things. They should obviously be involved and included when it comes to drawing out an electoral manifest... adults don’t always know best.”

We have enough politicians making decisions that affect the lives of young people without consulting this population let alone if we shut the gate once and for all. I expect youth organizations, youth advocates, youth workers and academics to voice their concern about this conundrum because young people deserve to be involved in all aspects of their community. We need to engage young people and not isolate them. 

To this effect I recommend the following:

1. Political parties are to commit themselves, to refrain from using children, particularly those under eight years of age (as per psychological research), in political campaigning unless the issues are evidently correlated to children.

2. The minister responsible for social policy, in collaboration with the Commissioner for Children, will embark on a national media information campaign with the objective of educating the public on how young people and their families are to grasp and analyze political messages.

3. Political parties are to be encouraged to have a young-person-friendly version of their political manifestos.

4. The Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) in collaboration with the Commissioner for Children should offer concept training to photographers, camerapersons, reporters and journalists on how children and young people should be embodied in the images they capture and the scripts they write.

5. It is advised that all proposed legislation directly relevant to children and young people is in a format suitable for this particular population. It is recommended that the parliament offices be responsible for this initiative.

6. It is opportune to set up a National Young People’s Assembly under the auspices of the parliamentary offices in collaboration with the Commissioner for Children. This assembly, representing children and young people from all over Malta and Gozo, will meet regularly (in the parliament building) to provide an opportunity to filter all proposed legislation relevant to children. 

“We need to be cautious and attentive to ensure that children are not exploited. We want children to participate. I agree that children need to see good politicians as role models” – Mario Mallia, spokesperson for education, AD.

Politics is not wrong. It is what is wrong in politics that we need to remove. Cutting children and young people off is not only ridiculous but unnatural for a country where we ‘breathe’ politics.

Andrew Azzopardi is senior lecturer in the Department of Youth and Community Studies, Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta