Norway admits to violating the Human Rights of its citizens, but qualifies this statement by saying – they are concerned about the ‘best interest of the child’.
The mother of Tonje Jacobsen who fled from Norway to Sweden to give birth, claims she was told that they recommend sterilization of people with the diagnosis of slightly retarded/handicapped.
On Sunday, TV2 in Norway told the story of 20-year-old, Tonje Jacobsen who fled from Norway’s Child Welfare System (NCWS), Barnevernet. She moved to Sweden to give birth to her child, because she felt persecuted in Norway. Tonje’s diagnosis of lightly mentally retarded is most likely wrong. In Sweden, she is considered a good mother.
TV2 has now confirmed that the Habilitetcenter (Centre for Rehabilitation and Competence (CRC)), at Innlandet Hospital (Hedmark and Oppland County) recommends everyone with this diagnosis not to have children.
The CRC in Norway are the operators of studies and diagnosis, and they provide advice and guidance to people who are handicapped or have other disabilities.
It was when Tonje became pregnant, when her mother called CRC. They were the ones who gave Tonje the diagnosis of lightly mentally retarded and the mother now wanted advice due to Tonje being a single mum.
Tonje’s mother said, CRC advise those with such a diagnosis to be sterilised, those that are perceived to be slightly retarded. Tonje’s mother was in deep shock and completely stunned that they could say something like that about her daughter.
TV2 showed a web article from 2015 from the leader of CRC in Innlandet. Former employees of CRC write here about what they say to young people with developmental disabilities or learning difficulties when they give them courses. And they use the word sterilisation:
Excerpt from the SOR-report 4/2015:
To undergo surgery is called sterilisation, and it is cost free for the handicapped in Norway (5). We know of no one with a retardation that has got to keep their baby after it’s born. Children’s services have a separate law that takes care of the child’s rights, and it becomes too difficult for the handicapped to take care of children. Therefore, NCWS helps the children, so they live with someone who can take good care of them (10).
Wenche Røkke, the leader of the CRC in Innlandet apologised to the mother, and agreed that it could be interpreted as discriminatory, but she said they must adhere to the content. They do not recommend handicapped people to have children.
NCWS was made aware of the violation of Human Rights, but nothing happened.
The leader at the CRC in Innlandet again confirmed that their advice to slightly retarded people is very clear – they do not recommend them to have children.
Tonje fled to Sweden when the NCWS received a report of concern because of the diagnosis ‘lightly retarded’, a diagnosis specialist in psychology, Ester Solberg, now says is, with great probability, incorrect.
In addition, the child welfare services in Sweden have concluded that she is a good mother. TV2 has also recently revealed that an IQ test applied to several thousand young people in Norway from 2003 to 2009, had weaknesses that may have resulted in many wrong diagnoses.
TV2 has also been to Sweden. In Sweden, the opinion is different – those who are developmentally disabled will always need support if they choose to become parents. This is their basis when they give their advice, and they are clear on that a great deal of these people will not be able to handle the task.
But they give people with disabilities customised help. TV2 also met with two lightly developmentally disabled mothers with children who think they are tremendously great parents, “Absolutely, of course – why wouldn’t we be. With the right kind of help everything is possible,” says Eleonor Belin, who has a son that is now 17 years old.
Wenche Røkke will not comment on the TV2 report from Sweden. She will only answer on the Norwegian side. “We cannot decide anything or force anyone to do anything. We give our advice based on our professional stand,” she says.
According to the Human Rights Act, people with disabilities have every right to start a family and have children. This is also written in the convention that Norway has signed, including the convention on rights of people with disabilities.
“Do you admit to your advice being in contradiction to the Human Rights?” asked TV2. “The way you ask the question, I will have to say that they are,” says Wenche Røkke and points out that they are concerned with the child’s best interest.
Tonje’s mother reacts strongly to the statements from Wenche Røkke. “It’s so discriminatory that I don’t have any words for it, really,” she says.
Wenche Røkke says she will adhere to the counselling they provide at the CRC in Innlandet.
“So you think no handicapped person should have children?
“Yes, I think I have given you a very clear answer to that now,” says Wenche Røkke.
After Tonja gave birth, Norway sent a message of concern to child welfare in Sweden. Home visits and observations were set up with Tonje and her baby.
TV2 was present when Tonje and her lawyer received the results of children service’s findings in Sweden.
They had no concerns at all about Tonje’s parental ability. They recognised that the baby and mother worked well together, and they have followed this up over the last four months,» says Tonje’s lawyer, Astrid Gjøystdal.
After hearing that Tonje’s was a great mother, Tonje’s mother responded, “you know what Tonje, you’re the best mum – it was so great to hear.” And, of course, for Tonje it was such fantastic news – “I was completely shocked, and so very happy.»
Tonje’s mother thinks that the CRC in Norway has shown no respect for the family.
“None. Neither to my daughter, to the expected baby or to us as parents, says Sissel Hermansen.”
#everychildisworthfightingfor
#letthechildrenbesetfree
#childabuse #norway
#stopbarnevernet
This is the link to the article:
Tonje (20) rømte til Sverige for å føde
http://www.tv2.no/a/9004846/
the only lawful implication is that child’s best interest is being wrongly assessed.
The child’s best interest is that her/his rights are severely violated… sounds like a contradiction. The only lawful contradictoon is that child’s best intertest is being falsely assessed.