On September 21, 2026, the Amsterdam Court of Appeal handed down its judgment in the appeal concerning the forced labor case involving the Good Shepherd, a catholic congregation that falls directly under the Pope. The case is brought by women who, during their youth, had been placed in one or more residential houses run by the Good Shepherd-congregation in the Netherlands, where they were made to perform forced labor.
The legal successor of the Good Shepherd in the Netherlands, Klooster Euphrasia, invoked the statute of limitations both at the district court level and on appeal. The Court of Appeal upheld that defense and thus dismissed all our clients' claims. This is a deeply disappointing ruling for our clients, which in their view also demonstrates a lack of insight into the forced labor they had been made to perform, and the context within which that took place. They will therefore lodge cassation appeal with the Dutch Supreme Court and, if necessary, subsequently file a complaint with the CEDAW-committee for violation on the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women ('CEDAW').
The women in these proceedings are supported by the foundation Bureau Clara Wichmann, which also acted as a co-plaintiff on the district court level on behalf of other women who also became victims of forced labor at the Good Shepherd.
- Press release Bureau Clara Wichmann, ‘Hof Amsterdam oordeelt: vorderingen van vrouwen tegen kloosterorde de Goede Herder zijn verjaard’, 21 September 2026 (in Dutch)
- J. Mulder, ‘Ook gerechtshof kent geen schadevergoeding toe voor dwangarbeid Zusters van de Goede Herder’, Trouw 21 September 2026 (in Dutch)
- Press release Appeals Court Amsterdam, ‘Eis tot schadevergoeding voor mogelijke dwangarbeid in kloosters verjaard’, 21 September 2026 (in Dutch) (The judgment itselef is not available online yet, a link to that judgment will be posted under the court's press release a.s.a.p.)
The women are represented in these proceedings by lawyers Liesbeth Zegveld and Brechtje Vossenberg.
Update: 11 October 2026:
In 2024, Dutch broadcast channel VPRO aired a four-part documentary about this subject: 'Meisjes van de Goede Herder' (available via this link, in Dutch). On 7 October 2026, 'Meisjes van de Goede Herder - Het vervolg' premiered, it is the second season of the documentary. Just like in season 1, the documentary also features some of the clients and follows the appellate proceedings. The second season is available via this link, in Dutch).
Previously
- Court hearing in appeals case re: forced labor at The Good Shepherd this afternoon
- Link to livestream: verdict in case re: forced labor Good Shepherd (Wednesday 29 March 2023, 10:00 AM (CET))
- Victims of the Good Shepherd guests on Dutch talkshow Khalid en Sophie
- Link to livestream: court hearing in case re: forced labor Good Shepherd (Friday 17 February 2023, 10:00 AM (CET))
- Court hearing in case of victims of forced labour by Good Shepherd: 17 February 2023
- Good Shepherd has to hand over documents to victims of forced labor
- Victims of forced labor at the Good Shepherd: court case against congregation ongoing, State of the Netherlands will be sued
- Victims of forced labor sue the Good Shepherd-congregation
- Victims of forced labor hold the catholic organization Sisters of the Good Shepherd liable