Thinkout
My name is [INAUDIBLE]. I'm the president of Thinkout. It's a Belgium-based think tank. Young people
are often discriminated on the religious, educational, and political level. For example, when you have
a name, a non-European name, you will experience difficulties in finding the job that corresponds to
your degree. When an architect can't find a job because she wears a hijab, this is a problem that
concerns us all. Concerning equal and democratic access to political life, the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights defines an accessory non-discrimination principle. Thinkout appoints that
this principle isn't always applied, especially in European countries. The political parties show us that
religious, ethnic, and cultural minorities, although having the possibility to take part in the political
system, experience difficulties in representing the community and their expectations. This means that
taking place on a political list and being elected is possible. This doesn't guarantee the fact to work
regarding the expectations of the community. The political life of a politician of a minority
background can even end when he defends the rights of a minority group. In fact, the rights and
freedoms who form the basic stones of a modern society do exist but are not applied in Europe.
Countries like Belgium and the Netherlands are a good example of this problem. Thinkout asks if
there is a politician who, let alone can fulfill the demands and needs of a community, can speak freely
about the feelings and concerns of a particular community. Thank you.