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Introduction
The first Netherlands national report on the SDGs
paints a mixed picture. There is positive progress on
several goals ā decent work and economic growth;
responsible consumption and production; and
peace, justice and strong institutions. In contrast, the
trends for SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced
Inequalities) are not so encouraging.
Poverty, income inequality, employment
Netherlandsā per capita income of USD 51,340, the
ninth highest among OECD countries.1 This prosperity
is not equally shared, however: the top 20% of the
population earn four times as much as the bottom
20% (Gini coefficient is 0.28,2 slightly below, and
therefore better than, the EU average of 0.30);3 over
1.4 million people (8.8% of the population) live below
the poverty line; and 125,000 children (7% of all
children) are growing up in long-term poverty.
There is low unemployment overall ā 3.3%4 (down
from 7.9% in 2014) but rates are higher or lower
for different groups of workers/employees. People
with a migrant background are more likely to be
unemployed, and it is worse if they are from a nonwestern background.5 However, in 2017, having a job
is no longer a guarantee of that a household is not at
risk of poverty ā the number of working poor has risen
by 60% since 2000, from 210,00 to 320,000,6 but this is
still low compared to other European countries.7
Gender
The hourly wage rate is 5% higher for men in the
public sector and 7% higher in the private sector.
Netherlands has by far the highest rates of part-time
work in the European Union for both women and men:
more than three-quarters of the 61% of women who
have paid employment work part-time; more than
a quarter of men work part-time.8 The proportion
of women in the national parliament and local
government in the Netherlands is high (38%, 57 seats)
and stable. The proportion of women in top positions
and on supervisory boards has not yet reached the
30% target set by the government.
Education
Children of professionals and university educated
parents more likely to go to university and enjoy
better opportunities in life. Teachers appear to
have lower expectations of children of parents of
lower educational achievement or of parents with a
migration background and as a consequence they
receive less support from schools in their attempts
to access tertiary education, even when they have
satisfactory test scores.9 Changes in the loan system,
selection in education and internationalization may
exacerbate these differences.
Environment
The level of atmospheric PM2.5 particles that are
small enough to enter and damage the lungs, is
14.0 micrograms per cubic metre, exceeding the 10
micrograms limit set by the World Health Organisation.
Negotiations are under way to agree to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions by 49% by 2030 with the
target to be underpinned by law.
International cooperation
The Netherlandsā large agro-food sector has an
unsustainable carbon footprint with negative impacts
in third countries. The 2017 VNR10 stated that āhigh
environmental pressures are placed on low-income
countries and middle-income countries to meet the
Netherlandsā food production needs.11
Netherlands is the eighth-largest donor country,
spending US$5 billion on net ODA in 2017 (0.6% of
GNI, down from 0.65% in 2016). Its four priorities are
security and the rule of law; water management;
food security; and sexual and reproductive health
and rights (SRHR, including HIV/AIDS).
Migration, young people and discrimination
The Netherlands has a higher than average population
of people born outside the EU, 11.5%12 (EU average
is 4.1%).13 With regard to migration generally the
Netherlands is performing less well, falling from a
score of 69/100 in 2010 in the Migration Policy Index to
60/100 in 2014.14
Life is becoming more difficult for young people.
Increases in flexible working practices and precarious
work means that gap in income and wealth between
generations is growing.
What are the most striking
inequalities in The Netherlands?
Which social groups in are the
most affected by inequalities?
In the Dutch context, inequalities exist and will become
even sharper as indicators for both SDG1 and SDG10
suggest negative development in The Netherlands.
Areas for improvement include: social inclusion,
such as people living below the poverty line and
gender inequality; high fossil fuel consumption and
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per capita, along with
a low share of renewable energy in the total energy
supply relative to other European countries; and
high environmental pressures placed on low-income
countries and middle-income countries to meet the
Netherlandsā food production needs.
In 2017, the four countries of the Kingdom of the
Netherlands (Aruba, CuraƧao, the Netherlands and St
Maarten) reported jointly to the UN High-level Political
Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) with a
Voluntary National Review (VNR).17 The government
reported on strengths including GDP per capita,
confidence in institutions, healthy life expectancy,
participation in lifelong learning, and official
development assistance (ODA). Areas for improvement
included: social inclusion, such as people living below
the poverty line and gender inequality; high fossil fuel
consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
per capita, along with a low share of renewable energy
in the total energy supply relative to other European
countries; and high environmental pressures placed
on low-income countries and middle-income countries
to meet the Netherlandsā food production needs.18 19
If possible, can you describe the situation
in your country with regards to the
relevant targets of SDG10? Common
themes for all countries: Income, at-riskof-poverty, gender and environmental
inequality.
The Netherlands faces inequality regarding income
as well as wealth distribution despite being one
of the richest countries in the world. In 2017, The
Netherlands gross domestic product (GDP) amounted
to 51,340 billion per capita, ranking 9th among OECD
countries.
Income
The Netherlands has a relatively flat income
distribution. The differences in standardised
disposable income between people are small by
European standards. Together with Slovenia, the
Czech Republic, Belgium and the Scandinavian
member states among others, the Netherlands has
the most egalitarian income distribution within the
EU. However, the level of prosperity in Slovenia and
the Czech Republic is significantly lower than in the
Netherlands, Belgium and the Scandinavian countries.
In 2016, the total income of the highest income
quintile in the Netherlands was nearly four times
larger than the total income of the lowest income
quintile. This ratio was also nearly four to one in 2006.
Together with the Czech Republic, Finland, Slovakia,
Slovenia and Belgium, the Netherlands belongs to
the group of EU countries that has a relatively small
difference between the highest and the lowest income
group. In the Netherlands, the average household
net-adjusted disposable income per capita is
USD 28 783 a year, lower than the OECD average
of USD 30 563 a year. But there is a considerable
gap between the richest and poorest ā the top 20%
of the population earn four times as much as the
bottom 20%. However, The Netherlands exhibits
income inequality of 0.28%,21 where the top 20% of
the population earn about four times as much as the
bottom 20%.
At-risk-of-poverty
In the Netherlands, about 75% of the working-age
population aged 15 to 64 has a paid job. This figure
is higher than the OECD employment average of
67%. The problem is that having a paid job no longer
means that you will be able to provide a living for
yourself or your family anymore. The group āworking
poorā is an ever-growing group.23 The poverty rate
in the Netherlands is 8.8 percent, which means over
1,400,000 people still live below the poverty line. The
number of children growing up in long-term poverty in
the Netherlands is about seven percent, which is
about 125,000 people. In 2017, 8.3 percent of the
low-skilled labour work force were unemployed. From
the highly educated 2.9 percent was unemployed.
The part of the labour force that a has a migrant
background (first and second generation), was
more often unemployed in 2017 than average. This
is especially true for people with a non-western
background:24 11.1 percent of them unemployed,
compared to 5.7 percent of those with a western
background back ground. People with a Dutch
background (including third generation or longer) are
relatively low in unemployment at 3.9 percent.
Gender
Work inequalities can also be found in the reward
for work. Men earn on average per hour more
than women. This difference is greater in business
then with the government. The differences pay can
partly be explained by differences in background
characteristics such as age, level of education,
professional level, working time (part-time or fulltime), origin and work experience. After correction
women civil servants still earn 5 % less than men.
Diversity at the top of organizations is important
for an economy where innovation and creativity are
crucial for growth and development. Nevertheless, the
growth in the proportion of women in top positions
is still lagging behind the target that at least 30% of
the seats on the board and on the supervisory board
should be occupied by women.The entrepreneurial
organizations and the Minister of Education, Culture
and Science are taking joint action to encourage
companies that have to meet the objective to find out
where they stand now in this endeavour. Progress is
a cause for concern because companies must reach
the target by January 2020. The cabinet will take
stock in spring 2019. The discussion focuses primarily
on the top of business, but it is also about the flow
from the layers below. In support of this, a database
can be used that now contains the profiles of more
than 1,500 highly qualified women who are ready for
council positions.
The proportion of women in the national parliament
and local government in the Netherlands is high
internationally and remains stable. In 2017, 38 percent
of seats (57 seats) in parliament were occupied by
women, compared with an EU average of 27 percent.
Conversely, with a share of 26 percent in 2015,
there are relatively few women in middle and senior
management in the Netherlands, compared with other
EU countries. The level of 30 percent formulated in the
coalition agreement of the second government under
Mark Rutte has therefore not yet been reached.
Education
The quality and accessibility of education is an
important factor in combating inequality in Dutch
society. But the trend of a growing opportunity
gap in education is worrying youth organizations.
The educational level of your parents, a migration
background or a functional limitation should not have
any influence on your school advice or your diploma.
Changes in the loan system, selection in education and
internationalization are potential risks of losing the
emancipatory function of education.
Students with higher educated parents get higher
school advice after primary school, than students
from lower educated parents, even if they are
corrected for personal characteristics, including
the final test score.25 School advice is a constant
assessment of chances and opportunities. Teachers
estimate the possibilities of children of parents with
a university degree or higher professional education
considerably higher. They receive at 12, after primary
school, a higher school advice compared to the
test advice (on average 60 percent one school level
higher) than children of parents with a maximum
of secondary vocational education (on average 27
percent one school level higher). This leads to unequal
opportunities.
Health & Environment
In terms of health, life expectancy at birth in the
Netherlands is 82 years, two years higher than the
OECD average of 80 years. Life expectancy for women
is 83 years, compared with 80 for men.
Gender: Men are more positive about their health
than women: 81.7 percent of men indicated in 2017
own health (very) good to find, opposite 77.0 percent
of women. Women also suffer more from long-term
disorders, physical limitations and pain barriers
compared to men.
Age: The (experienced) health decreases with age.
From children up to 15 years 95.2 percent feels
healthy, this is only 59.2 percent among people overHealth & Environment
In line with this, the proportion of people with
long-term disorders is increasing, including physical
limitations and obstacles due to aging.
Education: Highly educated (in the population of 25
years or older) are positive about 83.6 percent of the
cases their health, against 74.9 percent of those only
having finished secondary school, and 61.5 percent
of those who are vocationally trained.
Migration background: People with a migration
background experience their own health less often as
(very) good than average; that applies to 75.5 percent
of people with a western background and 74.1
percent of people with a non-Western background.
Especially with people with a non-Western that
migration background is striking, because this group
is relatively young and young people are on average
more positive about their health.
Environmental Health: The level of atmospheric
PM2.5 ā tiny air pollutant particles small enough
to enter and cause damage to the lungs ā is 14.0
micrograms per cubic meter, slightly higher than the
OECD average of 13.9 micrograms per cubic meter and
higher than the annual guideline limit of 10 micrograms
per cubic meter set by the World Health Organisation.
The Netherlands perform better in terms of water
quality, as 93% of people say they are satisfied with
the quality of their water, higher than the OECD
average of 81%. The Public Health Status and Forecast
Report 2017 (Volksgezondheid Toekomst Verkenning 2017)
forecasts that the percentage of smokers will continue
to fall, to 14 percent in 2040, but differences in smoking
behaviour between higher and lower educated groups
will increase (RIVM, 2017).
How is the Netherlands
responsible for inequalities at
the international level/between
countries? For example: trade,
migration, development
cooperation, tax policies etcā¦
Colonial history
The Netherlands has a heavy responsibility when it
comes to inequalities at the international level as a
former coloniser.26 At the end of the 16th century, the
Dutch started to engage in maritime trade activities,
marking the beginning of the Dutch colonial empire
and introducing a black presence. The Dutch maritime
trade was carried out by three important trade
companies: the Vereenigd Oost-Indische Compagnie
(VOC), the West-Indische Compagnie (WIC) and the
Middelburgsche Commercie Compagnie (MCC). The
VOC traded mostly with Asian territories trafficking in
spices, silk, ivory and slaves. The WIC was mostly active
on the Atlantic Ocean shipping gold, sugar and slaves.
Enslaved people from West-Africa were shipped to the
Caribbean and the Americas, where they were mostly
forced to work on plantations. Worldwide the slave
trade lasted from 1519 until 1867, and during this
period a total of a total of 11 to 12,5 million enslaved
had been traded and shipped. An estimated thirteen
percent of all the enslaved transported would not
survive the transatlantic voyage. In the 18th century
the slave trade came to a head and was mostly driven
by British and Portugese shipments (50% and 30 %
respectively). The Dutch participation in slave trade
takes up 5% of the total amount of shipments in this
century. The involvement in slavery and slave trade
by the Dutch lasted for more than two hundred years
and was formally abolished on July 1, 1863.
ODA budget
The Netherlands is the eighth-largest donor country,
spending US$5 billion on net official development
assistance (ODA) in 2017. This corresponds to 0.6% of
its gross national income (GNI), down from 0.65% in
How is the Netherlands
responsible for inequalities at
the international level/between
countries? For example: trade,
migration, development
cooperation, tax policies etcā¦
Colonial history
The Netherlands has a heavy responsibility when it
comes to inequalities at the international level as a
former coloniser.26 At the end of the 16th century, the
Dutch started to engage in maritime trade activities,
marking the beginning of the Dutch colonial empire
and introducing a black presence. The Dutch maritime
trade was carried out by three important trade
companies: the Vereenigd Oost-Indische Compagnie
(VOC), the West-Indische Compagnie (WIC) and the
Middelburgsche Commercie Compagnie (MCC). The
VOC traded mostly with Asian territories trafficking in
spices, silk, ivory and slaves. The WIC was mostly active
on the Atlantic Ocean shipping gold, sugar and slaves.
Enslaved people from West-Africa were shipped to the
Caribbean and the Americas, where they were mostly
forced to work on plantations. Worldwide the slave
trade lasted from 1519 until 1867, and during this
period a total of a total of 11 to 12,5 million enslaved
had been traded and shipped. An estimated thirteen
percent of all the enslaved transported would not
survive the transatlantic voyage. In the 18th century
the slave trade came to a head and was mostly driven
by British and Portugese shipments (50% and 30 %
respectively). The Dutch participation in slave trade
takes up 5% of the total amount of shipments in this
century. The involvement in slavery and slave trade
by the Dutch lasted for more than two hundred years
and was formally abolished on July 1, 1863.
ODA budget
The Netherlands is the eighth-largest donor country,
spending US$5 billion on net official development
assistance (ODA) in 2017. This corresponds to 0.6% of
its gross national income (GNI), down from 0.65% in
How is the Netherlands
responsible for inequalities at
the international level/between
countries? For example: trade,
migration, development
cooperation, tax policies etcā¦
Colonial history
The Netherlands has a heavy responsibility when it
comes to inequalities at the international level as a
former coloniser.26 At the end of the 16th century, the
Dutch started to engage in maritime trade activities,
marking the beginning of the Dutch colonial empire
and introducing a black presence. The Dutch maritime
trade was carried out by three important trade
companies: the Vereenigd Oost-Indische Compagnie
(VOC), the West-Indische Compagnie (WIC) and the
Middelburgsche Commercie Compagnie (MCC). The
VOC traded mostly with Asian territories trafficking in
spices, silk, ivory and slaves. The WIC was mostly active
on the Atlantic Ocean shipping gold, sugar and slaves.
Enslaved people from West-Africa were shipped to the
Caribbean and the Americas, where they were mostly
forced to work on plantations. Worldwide the slave
trade lasted from 1519 until 1867, and during this
period a total of a total of 11 to 12,5 million enslaved
had been traded and shipped. An estimated thirteen
percent of all the enslaved transported would not
survive the transatlantic voyage. In the 18th century
the slave trade came to a head and was mostly driven
by British and Portugese shipments (50% and 30 %
respectively). The Dutch participation in slave trade
takes up 5% of the total amount of shipments in this
century. The involvement in slavery and slave trade
by the Dutch lasted for more than two hundred years
and was formally abolished on July 1, 1863.
ODA budget
The Netherlands is the eighth-largest donor country,
spending US$5 billion on net official development
assistance (ODA) in 2017. This corresponds to 0.6% of
its gross national income (GNI), down from 0.65% in
4) sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR,
including HIV/AIDS). These four themes will remain in
focus for this governmentās term of office. Advancing
gender equality and strengthening the position of
women and girls is a cross-cutting theme of Dutch
development policy, and the government has taken
leadership on the matter, including on issues related
to SRHR
3. What are the structural underlying political, economic,
social, environmental, historical reasons – of these internal and external inequalities (as
mentioned in questions 1 and 2)?
The Netherlands population is marked by relatively
strong ethnic heterogeneity. Due to historical
(colonialism), political, social and environmental
reasons, its ethnic variety differs from many other
European countries. There is a strong sense of black
identity and emancipation of Afro-Caribbean Dutch
people, demanding their rightful and just place in
Dutch society. The integration of immigrants is also
an important aspect of social cohesion. The Dutch
government is performing less and less well in the
field of migration policy. On the migration policy
index27 with a scale from 0 to 100 (100 is the highest
attainable), the Netherlands is falling from 69 in 2010
to 61 in 2014.
Absence of colonial awareness
Typical for the Netherlands is the absence of colonial
awareness. Suriname, one of the former colonies
of The Netherlands, only gained independence in
the mid-1970s. Consequently, the Dutch did not
experience, like the USA, the difficult transition from
a society with a racial master-slave structure to a
society with more emancipated people of colour.
While gaining independence, inhabitants of Suriname
had full citizenship rights in The Netherlands, which
they could use to legally work and live in the former
āmotherland.ā When the people from Suriname
arrived in The Netherlands, Dutch society had already
forgotten about their exploitative past and could not
link the difficulties experienced by the descendants
from slaves to the historical and systematic patterns of
inequality, subordination, and discrimination. Due to
this absence of awareness, it is possible that colonial
mentality continues to seep through in discussions of
colonialism, discrimination, and racism. On the other
hand, compared to other European countries, there
is a strong sense of black identity and emancipation
of black people in the Netherlands, demanding their
rightful place in Dutch society.
Discrimination
The proportion of citizens who feel discriminated
against as members of a specific group is seen as an
indicator for the level of social capital in a country.
Social capital refers to the networks with shared
values; it is the ālubricantā that keeps society working.
Compared with other EU countries, the Netherlands
is around the middle, with 7.6 percent of citizens
feeling discriminated against. Significantly higher rates
are reported in the United Kingdom (13.7 percent)
and France (12.4 percent), which are also marked by
relatively strong ethnic heterogeneity. Extremely
ethnically homogeneous member states such as
Poland and the Czech Republic have the lowest
percentages of experienced discrimination.
Young people
Only a small proportion of young people indicate
that they themselves have been rejected on the
grounds of origin, skin colour, age, sexual orientation
or gender identity. Yet just over a quarter (27.1%)
of young people indicate that they know someone
who has been rejected on the labour market for this
reason. Groups such as girls and vocally educated
indicate ‘yes’ significantly more often – which shows
that exclusion hits harder on specific groups. A small
majority of young people therefore think it is a good
idea to apply anonymously.
Specifically, young people with a migrant background
and those with a disability who have to do with
youth care or youth mental health care experience
additional obstacles with regard to study and work.
It is important that in education there is more
understanding and customization for these young
people to give everyone an equal opportunity in
society. In addition, the position of young people in
society is becoming increasingly difficult. Flexible
jobs mean that the difference in income and wealth
between young and old in the Netherlands is
increasing. The disappearance of certainties results
in a large increase in psychological complaints among
young people. All kinds of youth organizations stand
up for the interests of (specific groups of) young
people. It is important that they are heard and
supported by other parties.
āMaakbare Samenlevingā
From the 1960s to the 1980s or even longer, many
in Dutch society believed in the idea of socially
engineered society, or in Dutch, the āmaakbare
samenlevingā (āsociety that can be madeā). This idea
presupposed that government intervention could
achieve a lot to improve peopleās lives, the quality
of society, and happiness levels. Over time, in the
Netherlands like elsewhere the mood has shifted to
a society where people are responsible for their own
lives and the state does not interfere with peopleās
personal sphere. Happiness, or quality of life, is seen
as a purely personal issue.
Regional inequalities
within the Netherlands
The socio-economic indicators vary considerably
between municipalities and regions. In many
municipalities, the recovery after the economic
crisis translates slowly into greater participation
in the labour market. Amsterdam, Rotterdam and
The Hague and the three northern provinces have
the largest share of poor households. Some of the
households have to deal with structural poverty and
social exclusion. Since 2015, municipalities have been
responsible for the most vulnerable groups.
More and more municipalities are developing an
integrated approach with new role divisions between
the municipality, residents, healthcare providers,
social organizations, provinces and companies. In
addition, they have started to focus more on general
facilities that are accessible to everyone. Small
municipalities often succeed in involving vulnerable
people more in their daily lives. In 2017, there was
greater recognition at all levels of government that
“self-sufficiency” of citizens does not always work,
particularly in stress situations, and that the system of
government allowances and debt collection is also the
cause of problem debts
Polarization in Dutch society The place where you
grow up has a lot of influence on your future. In some
places strong inequality is experienced, while other
young people are hardly concerned with this. Some
young people experience injustice and look for a
group where they feel heard and understood, which
sometimes results in radicalization. Cultural sensitivity
and low-threshold contact within institutions, the
use of creative forms of participation in subjects that
concern young people and offering sufficient facilities
for young people can help to prevent polarization.
When it comes to radicalization and extremism, young
people are seen mainly as negative: as perpetrator or
victim, while the positive contribution of young people
to security should be emphasized and supported (in
line with UN resolution 2250 on the role of young
people in conflict)
Opportunity inequality, also identified by the
CBS as an important point for attention, forms a
potential breeding ground for unrest, polarization,
radicalization, extremism and populism, and
therefore also a security risk. (Growing) inequality
between rich and poor, between those with a high
and low education, between population groups,
between urban and rural areas, based on age, sexual
orientation, gender identity or disability, undermine
social cohesion. SDG 10 is related to and influences
many of the other goals 3, 4, 5, 8 and 11. Specifically,
the growing opportunity gap in Dutch education,
based on ethnicity and socio-economic class, is a
cause for concern and demands and for action.
Do you think there are good
practices/instruments/policies
that have been developed by
your government and civil
society in your country to
reduce/fight inequalities? If yes,
please specify which.
In the VNR from 2017 the Kingdom of the Netherlands
made clear that high environmental pressures are
placed on low-income countries and middle-income
countries to meet the Netherlandsā food production
needs28. 29 Reducing inequality within and among
countries helps to counter economic migration and
strengthens the voice of developing countries in
international economic and financial decision-making.
One way to reduce inequalities within the Netherlands
was the start of the Prosperity Monitor. In response
to the wish of the House to have the theme of
broad prosperity play a more important role in the
Accountability Debate, the government has ordered
Statistics Netherlands to develop the Broad Prosperity
Monitor. The Monitor establishes the relationship
between the SDGs and the various policy themes that
are important for broad prosperity. There is a large
overlap between the CBS publications on the SDGs
and the Broad Prosperity Monitor, respectively.
In Dutch society, people with higher education levels
and with a native Dutch background enjoy a higher
level of well-being than average. This is one of the
conclusions in the Monitor of Well-Being 2018, which
has been published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
This annual publication describes trends in wellbeing among the Dutch population in the broadest
sense of the word, not just in the material sense. The
disparities in well-being among the various groups
in Dutch society have been determined using ten
different themes. Since the concept of distribution
does not apply to every aspect of well-being, e.g. the
environment, the themes only partly overlap with the
broad well-being themes for the Netherlands.
The Dutch government promised in 2018 to take the
following initiatives in these areas:
Ambitious steps are being taken in society with
regard to climate adaptation and making industry
more sustainable. Together with various social
partners, the government will come to a Climate
Agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions by
49% in 2030. The government is consulting with
the initiators of the Climate Act to come to a widely
supported law.
The promotion of emancipation is another point of
attention for the Netherlands, in particular offering
social security and equal treatment for every
individual, promoting economic independence and
the promotion of women to higher positions (SDGs
5 and 8). The emancipation memorandum forms
the starting point for improving economic and social
gender equality.
Parliamentary Committee on
a Broad Definition of Prosperity
The fact that gross domestic product (GDP) is
consistently (and mistakenly) equated to welfare and
progress (WRR, 2013) was the reason for the Dutch
Parliament to investigate what GDP actually does and
does not measure, and the role GDP plays in policymaking and political decision-making. In addition,
the temporary committee that was tasked with this
investigation was asked to examine whether it would
be useful to develop other indicators in addition to
GDP to clarify prosperity and well-being in a broad
sense and, if the answer to this question was yes,
to identify which indicators should be developed
and how they could be used. In a memorandum to
this committee, CBS mapped out the strengths and
weaknesses of GDP and what CBS is already doing to
develop criteria to measure prosperity and well-being
in the broad sense (Smits, 2015).
After thorough research and after having heard a large
number of experts, the committee found that GDP is a
solid and usable indicator but is indeed too limited to
measure prosperity or well-being in its broad sense30.
The committee recommended implementing the CES
indicators for a statistical description of prosperity and
well-being. Therefore, it recommended developing this
monitor into a Monitor of Well-being.
For the visual presentation, it recommended using the
OECDās Better Life Index as a source of inspiration.
CBS will seek to align these CES themes with the SDGs,
among other things.
For the purpose of assessing the disparities under
the ten themes, CBS uses a total of twelve indicators,
namely: satisfaction with life, personal well-being,
income, wealth, education level, unemployment,
perceived health, crime and victim rates, perceived
housing costs, volunteer work, trust in other people,
and satisfaction with commuting time.
High well-being among higher
educated and native Dutch
In most areas, people with higher levels of
education enjoy a higher level of well-being than those
with lower levels. This is the case for income, wealth,
unemployment, health, self-perceived cost of housing,
volunteer work, trust in other people, satisfaction
with life and personal well-being. However, the higher
educated are relatively more often victim of crime.
Levels of well-being among people with intermediate
levels of education are like the overall level of wellbeing of the population in most areas. Another
noteworthy finding is that in many areas, people with
a migration background ā and particularly those with
a non-western background ā have lower levels of
well-being than native Dutch people. These disparities
are party related to the fact that people with a nonwestern migration background are relatively younger
and lower educated than average.
Fewer disparities by age and gender
For almost all indicators, disparities are seen among
the different age groups, although no distinct pattern
emerges. Young people tend to have a relatively
low income and low level of wealth, for instance. In
addition, young people are more likely to be victims
of crime than older people. In terms of health, the
opposite is true: the percentage of people with a
positive perception of their own health decreases with
age. Education levels are also higher among young
people than among the older age groups.
Differences in well-being between men and
women are small. Their respective positions hardly
deviate from the average for ten out of the twelve
indicators. However, men are less often affected by
unemployment and have a more positive perception
of their own health.
What are your demands to
your government to reduce
inequalities/to achieve SDG 10
(at the national level and within
the EU)?
In the report Our Common Future (WCED, 1987),
the Brundtland Commission explores social (and
sustainable) development from the perspective of
justice. This report examines the intra-generational
distribution of wealth within the current generation
(wealth distribution between the rich and the
developing countries) and the inter-generational
perspective, where the focus is on whether the
current generation is not exhausting too many of the
resources, which could threaten
future generationsā pursuit of prosperity. According
to the Brundtland Commission, a development is
only sustainable if both the intra-generational and
inter-generational justice requirements are met. The
concept of sustainability originates from ecology
The Brundtland Commission arrived at the following
definition of sustainable development: Sustainable
development is development that meets the needs of the
present (generation) without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs. CBSā
Sustainability Monitor of the Netherlands 2014 added to
this definition: both here and in other parts of the world.
Sustainable development therefore mainly deals with
the question of whether we are creating our quality of
life here and now in such a way that it does not place
too great a burden on the possibilities for people
elsewhere and in the future to have a enough quality
of life.
Looking at the first Monitor of Well Being is shows
that overall, the Netherlands has a high level of quality
of life and it shows the negative externalities like the
massive unsustainable footprint of The Netherlands,
something you donāt see in indicators like GDP. Many
indicators show a positive trend over the last eight
years, or a positive change with the year before. Only
three out of 21 indicators were markedly negative: the
number of people with obesity, satisfaction with free
time, and size of nature areas.
Nonetheless, the figures arenāt equal. Some groups
report lower scores: women, some age groups (below
25 and 55-65), those with low education levels, and
migrants. And wellbeing scores are clearly higher
in the here and now, then they are in the future
and regarding the impact on elsewhere. Indicators
concerning the future that post lower scores are
primarily the environmental ones: CO2 and nitrogen
emissions, fossil energy reserves, and biodiversity.
Possibly, policy changes may see improvement
here in the future, as energy is becoming cleaner
and the Netherlands is due to stop all domestic gas
production.
These are our recommendations:
Make Agriculture and agro-food business
sustainable. The Netherlandsā large agro-food
business has a massive and unsustainable footprint
and relates to a negative impact in third countries.
On top of that only 4% of agriculture is organic.
Reducing inequality within and among countries
helps to counter economic migration and
strengthens the voice of developing countries in
international economic and financial decisionmaking. The Netherlands has a large carbon
footprint and imports resources and biomass from
elsewhere, including from least developed countries
(LDCs). That means that natural capital is moved
from those countries. In the VNR from 2017 the
Kingdom of the Netherlands made clear that high
environmental pressures are placed on low-income
countries and middle-income countries to meet the
Netherlandsā food production needs.32 33
Fasten Climate Adaptation. The Netherlands
are taking steps regarding climate adaptation
and making industry more sustainable. Together
with various social partners, the government will
come to a Climate Agreement to limit greenhouse
gas emissions by 49% in 2030. The government is
consulting with the initiators of the Climate Act to
come to a widely supported law.
The promotion of emancipation is another point of
attention for the Netherlands, offering social security
and equal treatment for every individual, promoting
economic independence and the promotion of
women to higher positions (SDGs 5 and 8). The
emancipation memorandum forms the starting point
for improving economic and social gender equality.
The growing opportunity gap in Dutch education,
based on ethnicity and socio-economic class, is
a cause for concern and demands action. The
socio-economic indicators vary considerably between
municipalities and regions. In many municipalities,
the recovery after the economic crisis translates
slowly into greater participation in the labour market.
Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague and the three
northern provinces have the largest share of poor
households. (Growing) inequality between rich and
poor, between those with a high and low education,
between population groups, between urban and
rural areas, based on age, sexual orientation, gender
identity or disability, can undermine social cohesion.
SDG 10 is related to and influences many of the other
goals 3, 4, 5, 8 and 11.
Invest in achieving the SDGs, both in the
Netherlands and in developing countries.
Inequalities in wages and positions between women
and men are large, the percentage of renewable
energy is very small, greenhouse gas emissions are
very high, and biodiversity is under serious pressure.
More awareness should be paid on the urgency
of these problems, for example with a big public
awareness campaign about the SDGs.
Solutions can be found in: greening the tax
system, more robust implementation of human
rights treaties and more coherence of (sustainable)
development policies are examples of how achieving
the SDGs in the Netherlands can be encouraged. In
short, all Dutch policies and actions must be coherent
with the SDGs!
OECD, Data. The Netherlands Gross domestic product (GDP), https://data.oecd.org/gdp/gross-domestic-product-gdp.htm
(20.02.2019).
2 OECD, OECD Data. Income inequality, https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm#indicator-chart (20.02.2019).
3 OECD, Better Life Index. The Netherlands http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/netherlands/
4 Eurostat, March 2019. https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Unemployment_statistics
5 In 2017 the unemployment for migrants with a non-Western background was 11.1% compared with 5.7% for migrants with a
western background In the Netherlands only first and second-generation (with one parent born in a non-Western country are
regarded as having a non-western background.
6 https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2018/10/number-of-working-poor-has-risen-by-60-this-century/
7 https://www.scp.nl/Nieuws/Aandeel_werkende_armen_in_Nederland_gegroeid_en_overtreft_dat_van_Denemarken_en_Belgi
8 Statistics Netherlands (2018). Sustainable Development Goal 10: the situation of the Netherlands. Page 30.
9 https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/documenten/rapporten/2019/04/10/rapport-de-staat-van-het-onderwijs-2019
10 https://www.sdgnederland.nl/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/VNR-Kingdom-of-the-Netherlands_final.pdf
11 Statistics Netherlands Press Release
12 Migration Integration Policy Index 2015. Netherlands. http://mipex.eu/netherlands
13 Eurostat 2016 https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=People_in_the_EU_-statistics_on_origin_of
residents#Foreign-born_residents_from_countries_outside_the_EU.
14 http://mipex.eu/netherlands
15 Statistics Netherlands Press Release
16 2017 VNR report
17 The Sustainable Development Goals: The Situation for the Netherlands
18 Statistics Netherlands Press Release
19 2017 VNR report
20 OECD, Data. The Netherlands Gross domestic product (GDP), https://data.oecd.org/gdp/gross-domestic-product-gdp.htm
(20.02.2019).
21 OECD, OECD Data. Income inequality, https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm#indicator-chart (20.02.2019).
22 OECD, Better Life Index. The Netherlands http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/netherlands/
23 https://www.scp.nl/Nieuws/Aandeel_werkende_armen_in_Nederland_gegroeid_en_overtreft_dat_van_Denemarken_en_Belgi
24 In the Netherlands only first and second-generation (with one parent born in a non-Western country are regarded as having
a non-western background).
25 https://www.onderwijsinspectie.nl/documenten/rapporten/2019/04/10/rapport-de-staat-van-het-onderwijs-2019
26 https://www.kritischestudenten.nl/bibliotheek/geschiedenis-bibliotheek/zwarte-piet-bitter-treat-racial-issues-netherlands-u-s/
27 http://mipex.eu/netherlands
28 Statistics Netherlands Press Release
29 2017 VNR report
30 House of Representatives, 2016b; see also the thematic edition of the Tijdschrift Milieu (2016) on the theme Green Well-being
31 https://www.cbs.nl/en-gb/artikelen/nieuws/2018/20/well-being-not-distributed-equally/education-level
32 Statistics Netherlands Press Release
33 2017 VNR report