Tackle root causes to curb baby dumping, says activist

Baby hatches must be placed in strategic locations to allow mothers who have given birth better access to proper medical care, says activist Ajeet Kaur.

PETALING JAYA: An NGO has backed a call to suspend prosecution for baby dumping, saying a better understanding of the reasons why a mother would abandon her child is crucial to address the issue.

Sharmila Sekaran, chairman of Voice of the Children, also said that the punitive approach had proven ineffective.

“Poverty or the inability to care for a baby is one reason. Fear, social stigma and postpartum depression, especially if unsupported, are other significant factors.

Sharmila Sekaran.

“To effectively prevent mothers from abandoning their babies, we must understand the underlying causes and ensure they receive support, both before and after delivery,” she told FMT.

Earlier this month, Bandar Kuching MP Dr Kelvin Yii had urged the government to develop a more compassionate system that addresses the root causes of baby dumping, focusing on the rehabilitation of offenders.

The DAP MP said that while heavy sentences are often viewed as deterrents to baby dumping, they do not actually help.

Sharmila also urged the government to expedite the passage of the Social Work Profession Bill, saying a shortage of social workers has resulted in many women failing to receive the care, protection and support they need.

“This long overdue bill should be prioritised,” she said.

The Social Work Profession Bill was first drafted in 2010 but has yet to be tabled in Parliament.

Earlier this week, women, family and community development minister Nancy Shukri informed the Dewan Rakyat of a proposal to incorporate the establishment of a professional council into the draft of the bill. However, she did not say when the bill would be put before the House.

Ajeet Kaur.

Ajeet Kaur, co-chair of Child Rights Innovation and Betterment, said priority should be given to areas with high incidences of baby abandonment.

She said this would allow for the strategic placement of baby hatch facilities and better public awareness about them.

“We need more strategically located baby hatches, considering that mothers who have given birth frequently lack access to proper medical care,” she said.

She added that mothers often suffer from postpartum depression and need psychological support rather than criminalisation or punishment.

“Criminalising, for instance, a young mother (such as a child under the age of 18) who has given birth fails to tackle the root cause of the issue,” she said. - FMT