Update | Shenzhen to open baby hatch where parents can abandon unwanted infants
City to provide hatch where desperate mothers can leave their child
It happens so often in Shenzhen it is almost commonplace: a baby is abandoned by its mother on the streets, sometimes in a skip, or even in a public toilet near the factory where she works. The mothers are often migrant workers lured to manufacturing centres by the promise of a job. These young women are usually unmarried and desperate enough to abandon their child.
Next year the fate of these unwanted children may be a little more secure. The city will open a baby hatch where parents can leave their child without fear of facing charges or revealing their identity. The project has created widespread controversy, with many arguing it could lead to an increase in the number of children abandoned.
Other cities in the mainland are also starting similar programmes.
Xian, the capital of northwestern Shaanxi province, launched a centre for abandoned babies last week.
Such havens for abandoned newborns have also been opened in several other countries.