Welcome to Talkback, a forum to voice your opinion on today’s Czech news.
This week’s topic: How many baby boxes does it take to make children happy?
Last week, a three-month-old baby was found in a baby box in Ostrava. The baby girl Zorka is the 15th child that has been placed in a baby box in the Czech Republic, according to the daily Týden.cz. The country operates 15 such boxes and more are yet to open. Ludvík Hess, head of the Statim foundation for abandoned children, who introduced the system in the Czech Republic in 2005, plans to increase the number to 70.
The first Czech baby found in a baby box was a twin. The mother left a birth certificate along with the baby. Many people offered money to prevent the separation of the twins. But Hess opposed the idea, saying some mothers could possibly abuse such generosity to make money.
The baby box provides a safe, anonymous place for mothers to leave unwanted newborns. Advocates of the facility say it helps prevent newborns from being left in public toilets or garbage dumps. Critics oppose the system, saying it encourages people to simply drop off their child rather than trying to solve the situation.
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Kateřina Heilmannis a staff writer and translator at the Monitor. She
likes writing about cycling and culture.
You can reach her at [email protected]
