No protection for 17-week foetus

A juvenile court judge has refused to honour a request by the Child Protection Council to place a 17-week-old foetus under supervision, Dutch daily AD reports. The council was seeking protection for an 18-year-old unwed mother against a potential honour killing by her family.

Only unborn children older than 24 weeks are granted legal rights like protection under Dutch law , the court ruled. The mother’s identity has not been revealed.

While she was still a minor, Youth Welfare had her stay at a secret location. On turning 18, however, she moved close to her parents, saying she had nothing to fear.

The Council, however, insists she is at risk:

The Child Protection Council has voiced disappointment at the ruling. If the judge had placed the foetus under supervision, the mother would be forced to accept the Council’s help. It could then, for instance, force her to return to a secret address.

The Council will not appeal against the ruling. Nor is it clear whether it will submit another request once the foetus is 24 weeks of age. It says it will monitor the situation closely.

The Child Protection Council says it intervenes more and more often to offer protection to the unborn child. It deals with dozens of cases a year, most of them involving risky pregnancies of women who are addicts or have psychiatric problems.