Deontological Judgment of Human Dignity in Family Law

Ljudsko dostojanstvo nije samo etička kategorija, već i pojam koji je sadržan u određenom broju međunarodnih dokumenata i nacionalnih zakona. Povrh toga, njegova je vrijednost i relevantnost u tome što bi kao transcendentalna kategorija trebalo biti implicirano u postupanjima pojedinaca i adresata pravnih normi, a pravna norma bi ga uvijek, kad je o čovjeku riječ, trebala najaviti kao jedno od najviših načela na kojima se temelji propis. S aspekta obiteljskog prava, ljudsko dostojanstvo nije uvijek bilo zaštićeno jednako u odnosu na pojedince, poglavito glede žena, djece i osoba s duševnim smetnjama. Povijesni razvoj svjedoči o priznavanju ljudskog dostojanstva i njegovoj, štoviše eksplicitnoj pravnoj zaštiti, usporedo s priznavanjem ljudskih prava i posebnih prava koje pravni sustavi i društvena zajednica u cjelini jamče posebnim kategorijama kao što su žene, djeca i osobe lišene poslovne sposobnosti. Ljudsko dostojanstvo pretočeno je u normama obiteljskog prava u ravnopravnost žene i muškarca, u sustav djetetovih prava i posebne društvene skrbi za osobe koje nisu sposobne brinuti se o sebi samima.The legal argument in favour of existence and the protection of human dignity was the subject of opinion in correlation to beliefs that surround man and legal thought through-out the centuries. Namely, apart from philosophical and theological thought about human dignity, there was virtually no room for it until the notion of the theory of human rights emerged. Even though human dignity and its protection are connected in the legal sense through various legal branches it has its own basis in family law, both on a theoretical and nomotechnical level. Basically the problem at this contemporary moment is led to exceptionally rare normative reference to human dignity and the need to understand this notion as one of the highest principles of the legal order. Investigating the issue of existence and protection of human dignity in family law is important considering that any response to it reflects the moral quality of society where the human dignity of the individual comes to the fore. Therefore, the ambiguity of whether human dignity exists and to what measure it is present and protected in family law will outline the state of the spirit of a particular society. Successive historical analysis of human dignity varies from the earliest social divisions to the marginalised and those with full rights and as such to the existence, or rather, respect and protection of human dignity. Ancient legal systems were full of differences in rights and with that, the protection of dignity particularly with reference to women and children and those with mental disorders which leads to the conclusion that the protection of human dignity was restricted from these people, particularly in the field of family law. Later as legal systems developed and headed towards greater civil rights they featured greater protection of human dignity for the said person. Even though contemporary family law does not specifically recognise the notion of human dignity and its protection it is found in the principle of equality between men and women (husband and wife and of course each parent). Further more, human dignity is implied in family law in the categories referring to children\u27s rights and generally in protection offered in family law or in cases where these rights are violated. The status of a person stripped of business abilities is equally in direct connection with the notion of human dignity seeing that with the institution of foster care, the legal order (particularly family law) endeavours to assist those who are not able to preserve their own self or protect their own rights and interest. Family law is certainly one of the areas where human dignity is protected with various institutions and represents a key connection of family law relations