Johannesburg – A mother who safely relinquishes her baby should not be labelled as a criminal.
This is the view of caregivers Youandi Gilain and Nadene Grabham.
Grabham together with doctor of law Whitney Rosenberg have drafted a proposal and submitted it to parliament to have baby savers legalised in South Africa.
“Our aim is for parliament to hear our pleas in the next six to eight weeks,” said Grabham.
“Doctor Rosenberg is the main author and I co-authored the proposal. She is just as passionate because of her extensive research regarding children’s rights and safe haven laws,” said Grabham.
Gilain, 38, originally from the Netherlands, has been running a place of safety for abused and abandoned babies and children with her mom in Durban for more than 20 years.
She also runs a project called Hello World, which helps mothers with starter packs for their bundles of joy, and also started an online help platform called Open Arms SA in 2015.
“I assist women with options after they find themselves unexpectedly pregnant by giving emotional support, baby items, referrals to child protection organisations. Our relationship is based on trust, honesty, respect and lots of love.”
She said child abandonment is South Africa was very high and that an estimated 3 500 babies were abandoned each year. “Two out of three babies do not survive abandonment, which is tragic,” she said.
Last year, she expanded her help platform by opening a “baby saver” at her premises in Bluff, Durban. “A baby saver is a steel construction big enough for a baby to fit in. It has a door, which the mother can open and place her baby in if she feels she is unable to keep her baby, but has a reason why she would like to stay anonymous.
As soon as baby is placed inside, a silent alarm goes off. We have social workers, a medical team, security and police on call,” she said, adding that there were 38 such baby savers in South Africa. But she is saddened that a case of abandonment has to be made, and if the mother is found, she faces criminal charges.
“Legally we have to open a case. But the mother has made a good choice to choose safety instead of an unsafe and unhealthy environment for her baby. Safe abandonment laws are very important because it gives a mother the option to stay anonymous and can leave her baby at a safe place rather than choosing a bin,” said Gilain.
Grabham, the deputy chairperson of Baby Savers SA, who is also the director of Door of Hope, said theirs was the first modern-day baby saver in the world.
“Currently any type of child abandonment in SA is illegal. Even safe relinquishment through Baby Savers. Leaving a baby in hospital, fire station, police station, therefore we are applying for baby savers to be legalised and then we will work on safe haven laws to enable parents to leave their babies in a safe place like a hospital, police station, or fire station, as is done in many countries in the world.
“We have a good relationship with police stations who bring us babies that have been found abandoned. Without having our services, babies will still be abandoned. Whether the baby savers are there or not, abandonment will still take place but at least a baby saver offers a safe alternative to leaving a baby somewhere to die. We believe that parents do it, not because they want their children to die, but out of desperation,” she said.
Reproductive rights in SA
South African women have various reproductive rights. Condoms are free at most clinics and even schools.
Abortion is also legal in the first trimester and in special circumstances afterwards. Backdoor or illegal abortions are unsafe.
Abortions can only be carried out by a doctor or clinic registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.
A doctor can refer you to a clinic or hospital that offers the service, which is free at government hospitals and clinics.
You do not need your parents’ or partner’s consent for an abortion If you are considering adoption for your baby, you can contact the Department of Social Development or a child protection organisation.
To give up your child, you must also prove that you were counselled by a social worker.
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