The Belgian authorities may approve the
law providing for the use of euthanasia to persons under 18 years of age
and for patients suffering from dementia, writes The Washington Post.
Should the law be passed, Belgium will
become the only country in the world, to legalize taking the lives of
terminally ill children. The proposal was put forward by the ruling
Socialist Party. It may take months before the initiative is approved.
Supporters of the law say that a measure
of this kind is a necessary one, but it can only be taken with the
consent of parents, of course. Families will thus obtain an opportunity
to ease the suffering of a child in a hopeless situation. Opponents
insist that this is a very serious decision that children can not afford
to take.
Euthanasia, or the deliberate
deprivation of human life with their permission in order to ease their
suffering was legislated in Belgium in 2002, although children did not
fall under the law. In 2003, 235 critically ill patients were euthanized
in the country; in 2012 the number of cases has risen to 1,432.
Euthanasia is also permitted (with restrictions) in the Netherlands and Luxembourg.
