Parents in Belgium will be allowed to give a family name to a stillborn child if the pregnancy ended between 140 and 179 days after conception, under a draft law approved by the Council of Ministers on Saturday.
The proposal was put forward by Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden.
Verlinden said stillborn children remain part of the families into which they were born, and that the draft law would ensure this recognition is also reflected in legislation.
Under current rules, parents may request a birth certificate from the civil registry for a stillborn child from 140 days after conception. From 180 days after conception, registering the birth is a legal requirement.
The reform would allow parents whose child was stillborn between 140 and 179 days after conception to assign a family name as well as a first name.
It would also make it possible to add a family name to certificates that have already been issued.
At present, parents in this situation can officially give their stillborn child only a first name.
Verlinden said the way public authorities register and name people also matters, adding that the reform is intended to better reflect social reality and parents’ lived experience.
