Components of population change – Data, indicatorsPaternity Acknowledgement

Mothers do not need to acknowledge their children as parentage comes from the act of giving birth. However, fathers who are not married to the mother of their child have to make a declaration of acknowledgement of parentage at the registry office or in court. The acknowledgement can be made before or after the birth.

From 1980 to 2005, the majority of children were acknowledged after their birth. Since then this trend has been reversed. In 2010 the number of paternity acknowledgements was 5 times greater than in 1980. In fact, it grew from 3100 cases to more than 15,000 in almost 30 years. This increase has taken place alongside the rise in the number of births outside of marriage (3500 in 1980 compared with 14,900 in 2010).