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First ‘Window of Life’ to leave unwanted babies opens in Croatia

Udruga Betlehem Zagreb

(Photo credit: Udruga Betlehem Zagreb)

ZAGREB – The first ‘Window of Life’ in Croatia, a place where mothers can anonymously leave unwanted babies, has opened in Zagreb.

The initiative was launched by the Betlehem Zagreb association and is located at the Monastery of the Visitation of Mary, next to the Corpus Domini chapel in Trešnjevka.

The ‘Window of Life’ features a decorated wall with a small window covered by a canopy. Behind the window is a separate room with a heated incubator.

When a baby is placed inside, an alarm alerts the nuns in the monastery and Betlehem Zagreb president. The baby is then taken in by the nuns before being handed over to the relevant authorities.

Betlehem Zagreb says that in the 15th century, similar safe spaces, known as ‘Obrtaljke’, existed in Dubrovnik, Šibenik, and Zadar. These children were taken in by families and called ‘Our Lady’s children’.

“We are continuing an ancient Croatian tradition of preserving the value of human life,” the Betlehem Zagreb association stated on its Facebook page.

Udruga Betlehem Zagreb

(Photo credit: Udruga Betlehem Zagreb)

The ‘Window of Life’ concept has been used worldwide since the late 1990s. In the US, over 70 similar baby boxes exist under laws that allow parents to safely surrender unharmed infants without facing legal consequences.

Since their introduction, more than 100 babies have been safely placed in these boxes, Index Mame writes.

Similar initiatives exist in Germany, Switzerland, and Belgium. Brussels installed its first baby box in 2021, while Antwerp introduced one in 2000, with an average of one baby left per year.

In most countries, baby boxes are located in fire stations, emergency departments, and hospitals. Once a baby is placed inside, it remains safe for two minutes before an alarm alerts caregivers to ensure immediate attention.

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