A new survey carried out by Epinion for UNICEF Danmark finds that a majority of Danish children aged 12 to 16 have had a negative experience after voicing their opinion.
The findings were published on September 21, 2026, and DR reports that more than half of children and young people between 12 and 16 have had a negative experience when saying what they think. The survey was conducted by Epinion for UNICEF Danmark and is based on answers from 1,040 children and young people.
According to DR, close to seven out of ten respondents in the age group say they have had at least one negative experience linked to expressing an opinion. Examples include someone saying something unpleasant or making fun of their view.
The fear of saying something wrong is most widespread among girls. DR reports that 54 percent of girls aged 12 to 16 are afraid of saying something wrong, compared with 37 percent of boys.
Of the 1,040 children and young people asked, 15 percent say they do not dare state their opinion if others disagree with it. Seven out of ten say they do dare to speak up even when others disagree.
Pupils describe holding back
DR spoke with pupils at Lindevangskolen in Frederiksberg. Anna Benedicte Grant Løvland said she had previously had a bad experience when sharing her view, describing a situation where she was alone in holding that opinion. She said she felt slightly embarrassed, but that the feeling passed.
She also told DR that she is sometimes afraid to speak her mind among close friends. Her concern is that they will disagree and question why they are friends with her.
Classmate Laura Nøddesbo said she finds it difficult to state her opinion because she is afraid of being judged. As she described it to DR, that leads her to hold her opinions back somewhat.
Wilson Benedikt Bueza, Sebastian Islin Nielsen and Ludwig Schwartz Martlev said they find it easier to speak up among friends, or when the matter is a quick question. It is harder, they said, when the topic is personal, when they do not know the other people, or when they disagree.
In its analysis, UNICEF Danmark writes that the results point to the importance of children experiencing that it is safe to disagree, ask questions and make mistakes. The organization frames the survey around children’s democratic self confidence.
The survey covers a group that is largely in the final years of the Danish folkeskole. Questions of how children speak up at home and at school are also a recurring theme in education in Denmark and in advice from a Danish psychologist on parental boundaries.
DR notes that its own new event, called Børnenes Nytårstale, is linked to the theme of children’s voices. The survey results were published alongside that coverage.
