In the Netherlands, pregnant students and student mothers are impeded in entering the educational system and have limited opportunities to finish their education.

The Support Center for Student Mothers (Steunpunt Studerende Moeders) earlier addressed this issue to Minister of Education Jet Bussemaker in various ways. The figures are alarming and show that the dropout rate in secondary vocational education is over 50 percent, and in higher education over 75 percent. These figures are known to the minister, as a response from her on parliamentary questions shows.

Discrimination against women

The Association for Women and Law (Vereniging Vrouw en Recht) has again raised the issues around pregnancy and student mother dropouts in its letter dated February 26, 2015 to the Parliamentary Standing Committee for Education, Culture & Science. In this letter, the association indicated that the limited legislation and regulation, and the lack of essential conditions to enable the combination of care and education, play a major role in this high dropout rate.

Moreover, there is gender discrimination because only women can be disadvantaged.

In its letter, the Association for Women and Law offered several suggestions and practical tools to remove the hindrances to this vulnerable group.

PILP (NJCM) and the undersigned party asked Minister of Education, Culture & Science Bussemaker to comment on the proposed measures of the Association for Women and Law and to indicate what actions they will take themselves. They did so in a letter dated September 18, 2015.

The minister won't help...

In a comment dated January 18, 2016, Minister Bussemaker expressed her views on this subject. She acknowledges the problems relating to pregnant students and student mothers, but for the moment she still refers to the responsibility of the various educational institutions, the municipal policies, the options of submitting individual complaints procedures and the existence of special funds.

Furthermore, the minister points out a number of educational institutions that do consider pregnancies and parenting as examples of good practice. In closing, she indicates she is willing to enter into discussions with relevant stakeholder organizations.

...or take responsibility

Although it is positive that the minister is willing to enter into consultation with the relevant stakeholder organizations, the organizations are of the opinion that the general scope of her response is disappointing.

She doesn't seem willing to take responsibility to approach this issue at a national level by amending the legislation and regulation.

Based on international and European law, the Dutch state, after all, has the responsibility to take all possible measures to prevent discrimination against girls and women and to abolish discrimination as far as possible. This obligation follows partly from the UN Women's Convention, the UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education, and European Law.

The fact that in some municipalities and educational institutions student mothers are given more support and pregnancy is taken into account does not affect the severity of the problem and its extent.

Laying responsibility only on various educational institutions and municipalities causes fragmentation of policies and this, in turn, will lead to inequality and discrimination against pregnant students and student mothers.

PILP is doing research

Presently, PILP and the Support Center for Student Mothers are conducting research into the current regulations and policies of different educational institutions on pregnant students and student mothers and they are considering possible legal action.

The research findings and the meeting with the minister will be waited for with the hope of persuading Minister Bussemaker that the proposed measures are essential for a structural approach of the issue.

In addition to this, the Clara Wichmann Pilot Case Fund is considering the possibility of starting a pilot case procedure to support this group of women.

The following organizations are involved: The Clara Wichmann Pilot Case Fund, the Association of Women and Law, Federation of Dutch Labor Unions Women (FNV Vrouwen), Dutch Women's Council, PILP-NJCM and the Support Center for Student Mothers.