Four in ten Dutch babies have unmarried parents

Last year 75 thousand babies were born to unmarried parents in the Netherlands. That is 44 percent of the 170 thousand babies born in the country last year, Statistics Netherlands announced on Monday. In about 90 percent of the cases of babies born out of wedlock last year, the legal father is known. 80 percent of the fathers formally acknowledged their child during the pregnancy or at birth. Seven percent did so within a week after birth, 3 percent did so later. Only 10 percent of babies born out of wedlock last year have no farther registered in the population registry. Statistics Netherlands this percentage will fall somewhat with fathers acknowledging their kids late, but a small percentage will probably remain unknown. About 2 percent of babies born to unmarried parents in 2010 do not have a father registered. The D66 is currently working on a legislative proposal in which unmarried fathers get parental rights over their children the moment they acknowledge a child. Currently unmarried fathers have to go to their city hall to acknowledge their child and then to a court to establish parental authority over the child.