The Dutch minister of education, culture and science, Ingrid van Engelshoven, has announced that she will legislate a formal right to maternity leave for secondary vocational education (MBO) students. The maternity leave, the duration of which will be limited to a maximum of 16 weeks, will be established as a formal grounds for long-term absence.

Coalition for Student Mothers

According to Annemieke de Jong of the Steunpunt Studerende Moeders (Organisation for Support of Mothering Students), this is a victory for all mothering students in the Netherlands: ‘After eleven years of lobbying and campaigning by the Steunpunt, mothering students finally receive a formal right to maternity leave’.

Along with the Public Interest Litigation Project (PILP), the Clara Wichmann Pilot Process Fund, FNV Vrouw, the Dutch Women’s Council and the Vereniging voor Vrouw en Recht (Union for Women and Rights), the Steunpunt Studerende Moeders formed the Coalition for Mothering Students. Led by the PILP, this coalition met to discuss problems experienced by mothering students with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science since 2015. During these discussions, the coalition underlined the ministry's responsibility to protect the human rights of mothering and pregnant students.

According to Merel Hendrickx of the PILP, this is an important decision for the protection of human rights: "Without a formal right to maternity leave for mothering students, their capability to access education is hindered, as well as their capability to obtain a graduate certificate. This is in violation of the right to education of these mothers. Moreover, this is a form of sex-based discrimination, since only women can be disadvantaged by this."

Recent research by Anja Eleveld et al. of Vrije Universiteit, where they examined legislation and regulations for pregnant students and students with childcare in secondary vocational education and tertiary education, shows that an educational institution violates the prohibition of discrimination if this institution has not incorporated any provisions for pregnant women or studying mothers.

'Still a long way to go'

The Coalition for Mothering Students is pleased by these developments, but also thinks that more change will be necessary to protect the human rights of mothering and pregnant students - first and foremost, a formal maternity leave for college students and university students. Furthermore, a great responsibility lies with educational institutions, a responsibility that entails, for instance, the duty to offer flexible internship programs and nursing rooms.

"We still have a long way to go," said Annemieke de Jong. "Having children and taking care of them should not obstruct the possibility to get an education. It would be a shame if these women would be forced to quit their education and as a consequence cannot achieve economic independence. Furthermore, the education level should be of no concern in this matter. The Steunpunt still receives many complaints from college-students and university-students. That is why we will continue."

The Coalition for Mothering Students will therefore pay attention to further developments, but celebrates this important event.