A first for the Netherlands: Endowed chair International Child Abduction
Appoint image: KOG entrance hall
As of 1 October, associate professor Kartica van der Zon has been appointed Professor by Special Appointment in International Child Abduction at Leiden University. This new endowed chair was established by the International Child Abduction Centre (Centrum IKO) and is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security.
Kartica van der Zon’s research focuses on various forms of parenthood, children's rights, and parents' responsibilities for the upbringing and care of their children. Holding the endowed chair of International Child Abduction, Van der Zon’s work will focus on the prevention of child abduction, the best interests of the child in return proceedings, and the impact on children and parents after a judicial decision has been made in such cases.
Abduction and return
‘The 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention (to which 103 states are now party) is based on the assumption that the prompt return of abducted children is in their best interests,’ Van der Zon explains. ‘Following a child’s return, judicial proceedings take place to determine the child’s future arrangements, such as parental responsibility, primary residence and contact arrangements.’
However, it is not always clear in practice whether that assumption is justified, Van der Zon continues. ‘Judges may order the return of children, but they have little knowledge of the ultimate consequences of that decision. As a result, they don’t know whether the return order has actually been in the child’s best interests. We also still know very little about how international child abductions can be prevented, even though it’s clear that such abductions have a profound impact on children and their carers. This chair provides an opportunity to learn more about these issues.’
Collaboration
Centrum IKO is the legal expertise centre in the field of the prevention of international child abduction. The Ministry of Justice and Security and Centrum IKO have established the chair to ensure the sustained development and dissemination of expertise dealing with on international child abduction in both research and practice.
Coskun Çörüz, Director of Centrum IKO, welcomes the establishment of the endowed chair ‘as it can foster a valuable exchange between academia and practice and, hopefully, help reduce the number of international child abductions.’
Department of Child Law and Health Law
The Department of Child Law and Health Law at Leiden Law School looks forward to following Van der Zon's contributions in this field. Ton Liefaard, Professor of Children’s Rights and Head of the department acknowledges the significance of this endowed chair.
Mariëlle Bruning, Professor of Children and the Law, is also enthusiastic about the collaboration with Centrum IKO and the Ministry of Justice and Security. Liefaard has great confidence in Kartica van der Zon as professor by special appointment. ‘With her broad academic interests, Van der Zon is exceptionally well placed to develop this endowed chair and realise its full potential. We are extremely proud of her appointment.’
Van der Zon is currently professor by special appointment in Family Law, Law of Persons and Juvenile Law at the University of Groningen. She will step down from that position in order to fucus fully on this newly-established chair.
More information
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Coskun Çörüz, Director of Centrum IKO, 06 18305807.