Belgium Set to Become First Country to Give Terminally Ill Children 'Right to Die'

Belgium is set to become the first country in the world to give terminally ill children the "right to die." The country legalized euthanasia in 2002 for people over 18 years of age.

Belgian lawmakers argued Wednesday over whether the country should grant terminally ill children the "right to die," Associated Press reported. The Belgian Parliament is expected to vote on the bill Thursday.

The expansion of the euthanasia law has been hotly debated in the country.

Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands are the only three countries that have legalized euthanasia for people above age 18. In Netherlands, terminally ill children over 12 have the right to die. The proposal to amend the euthanasia law in Belgium seeks to remove all age restrictions, according to the Guardian.

"Our responsibility is to allow everybody to live, but also to die, in dignity," said Karine Lalieux, a Socialist member of the House of Representatives, according to Associated Press.

The Belgian Senate voted 50-17 in 2013 to amend the euthanasia law and allow it for people under age 18. The law would come with certain conditions, including parental consent and that the child understands what euthanasia means, IOL news reported.

According to the Guardian, the legislation has already gone through the upper house by a 3-1 majority and has passed parliament's justice committee. The Central-right that's allied to the Church is expected to vote against the bill.

Critics of the legislation said that children can't understand the implication of the request to die.

"They can't [legally] drink before they're 16. They can't smoke before they're 16. They can't vote before they're 18. They can't marry before they're 18. They can't be punished because they don't have the competence," said Els Van Hoof, a senator with the Flemish Christian Democratic party, reported npr.org. "But when they talk about life and death, they can decide? It's not coherent."