PhD student: Mrs Dr S. Bou-Sfia

Promotor: Mrs Prof W.M. Schrama

Duration: 1/3/2016 - 29/2/2020

PhD defence: Utrecht, 13/9/2021

Abstract:

Since the Convention of the Rights of the Child entered into force in 1989, all children have an explicit right to identity. State parties, including the Netherlands, are commanded to acknowledge, uphold and protect this fundamental right. In addition, the Committee on the Rights of the Child stated that in all actions concerning children, the childs identity as an element of the childs best interest must be taken into account. Furthermore, article 8 ECHR protects a right to identity. The question rises what the right to identity entails, how the childs identity should be handled in family law matters and how Dutch family law and practice takes the identity of a child into account.