Title: Bioethical issues: The new desaparecidos – a comment

Authors: Irene Calesini

Addresses: Centro Salute Mentale ASL Roma G, Via F.lli Gualandi 35, 00012 Guidonia (RM), Italy

Abstract: The author makes a comment about the recently approved Italian law known as |security package| (DDL 733-B), that introduces the crime of clandestinity. An illegal alien, who would by chance give birth to a baby in this country, could not recognise her child legally nor register the baby|s birth and have it recognised in her family status. The Italian State is going to ignore these children. They are going to be invisible, with a serious risk for their human dignity and healthcare. This law, in absolute contradiction with the Constitution of the Italian Republic, contains a dangerous crack that could foster a return to the slavery, to the division between humans and non-humans; among the non-humans are first of all children, women and those who are not in line with the rules of the moment.

Keywords: newborn|s rights; clandestinity; children|s health; illegal children; DDL 733-B; desaparecidos children; newborn babies; Italy; human dignity; healthcare; bioethics; ethics.

DOI: 10.1504/IJENVH.2009.028600

International Journal of Environment and Health, 2009 Vol.3 No.3, pp.328 - 330

Published online: 19 Sep 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article