The Dutch government postpones compensation for victims of forced adoption – 15,000 affected.
The Dutch government announced the postponement of its plans to compensate the victims of forced adoptions that took place between 1956 and 1984, confirming that it needs more time to determine the appropriate and fair form of compensation for both the mothers who were forced to give up their newborns and the children who were taken from them.
Arno Rutte (State Secretary for Justice and Security) and Judith Thielen (State Secretary for Youth, Prevention, and Sports) stated that the issue requires great sensitivity and precision. In a letter to the Tweede Kamer (Dutch House of Representatives), they expressed their deep regret for the suffering endured by families torn apart by these forced adoptions.
This announcement came in response to a special report released last June, revealing that many mothers and children continue to suffer from long-term psychological effects. The report indicated that unmarried mothers, in particular, faced pressure from their families or church authorities to give up their children. The estimated number of those affected is around 15,000 people.
Rutte and Thijssen confirmed that the government intends to work closely with the victims when drawing up the compensation plan, stating: "First and foremost, we want to say to the mothers and the children who were abandoned that what happened should never have happened." They described the pain resulting from these forced separations as "unnecessary and immense."
The government has also called on several institutions to investigate their historical role in these issues, including the Judiciary Council, the Child Protection Authority, and the churches' connection to government affairs. The officials emphasized that these bodies must confront their historical responsibility to ensure that such violations do not occur again in the future.