Legal and medical experts are testifying tomorrow in support of intercountry adoption to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. From what I read on this, I am extremely happy about two things:
1.) The experts conclusion, according to the press release is "Adoption abuses should, they say, be addressed through enforcement and strengthening of laws prohibiting such abuses, not through closing down international adoption and thus denying homes to children." A-FRICKING-MEN!!!
2.) "The delegation will urge the Commission to initiate an investigation to examine what effect closing international adoption opportunities in these countries has had on unparented children." It's about time!
You can find all the information by clicking here.
or click on more for the press release.
Legal and Medical Experts to Testify Before Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Support of International Adoption
Recent closure of international adoption programs in Central and South American countries violates children’s human rights, experts say
Washington, D.C.—The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights will hold a hearing regarding the “Human Rights of Unparented Children and International Adoption Policies” in the Americas on Friday, November 6, in Washington, D.C. The hearing, requested by Harvard Law School’s Child Advocacy Program and the Center for Adoption Policy, will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Organization of American States, Ruben Dario Room, GSB Building, 1889 F St. N.W., Washington, D.C.
International adoption is the subject of a heated debate among those in the human rights field, and the hearing comes in the wake of policies that have virtually shut down international adoption in Guatemala, Honduras, and Peru.
This hearing represents a major development in the human rights debate surrounding these issues, as the Commission will address human rights violations that to date have been largely ignored. Many have claimed the human rights mantle in opposing international adoption. The legal and medical experts testifying on November 6 will argue that restrictions on ethical international adoption violate children’s basic human rights by condemning them to damaging institutions or to the streets. They contend that every child has a right to be placed in a nurturing permanent home, whether that home is in the country of birth or abroad. Adoption abuses should, they say, be addressed through enforcement and strengthening of laws prohibiting such abuses, not through closing down international adoption and thus denying homes to children.
The delegation will urge the Commission to initiate an investigation to examine what effect closing international adoption opportunities in these countries has had on unparented children.
The testifying delegation includes leading pediatric experts on early brain development, and legal experts on human and child rights:
· Elizabeth Bartholet, Professor of Law and Faculty Director of Child Advocacy Program, Harvard Law School;
· Paulo Barrozo, Asst. Professor of Law and International Human Rights Scholar, Boston College Law School;
· Karen Bos and Charles Nelson, Children’s Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health.
A copy of the written testimony to be presented to the Commission is attached, and a tape recording of the testimony will be available after the hearing at the following website: http://www.cidh.oas.org/prensa/publichearings/Hearings.aspx?Lang=EN&Session=117
The Child Advocacy Program (CAP) at Harvard Law School is committed to advancing children’s rights and interests, and to training generations of students to contribute to law reform and social change. One of the only legal programs of its kind, CAP unites the study of law and the practice of law. The Center for Adoption Policy is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote effective legislation and ethical practices governing domestic and intercountry adoption. It is not affiliated with any organization involved in adoptive placement.
AMEN, hopefully this will help in re-opening adoptions in Guatemala and placing children in a timely manner in ALL countries. Every child deserves a loving home.
Posted by: Kristan at November 6, 2009 07:00 PMThank God! It is about time. Abuses and illegal activity must be stopped. Too many children are suffering and could have a better chance legally and ethically!
Posted by: Helen Meager at November 6, 2009 11:26 PMAlthough this is certainly good news, it appears that the "experts" on the panel are from US institutions. Although I certainly agree with this panel's conclusions, I fear perhaps that the panel member's nationality may be viewed by opponents of international adoption as prejudicial. I hope I'm wrong.
Posted by: ebina2 at November 6, 2009 11:58 PMI also find it interesting that one of the authors of the report, Charles Nelson, also was an author of a paper published in Science (21 December 2007: Vol. 318. no. 5858, pp. 1937-1940), "Cognitive Recovery in Socially Deprived Young Children: The Bucharest Early Intervention Project." I posted the abstract in this website's discussion board back on January 2, 2008, which I'll post again:
In a randomized controlled trial, we compared abandoned children reared in institutions to abandoned children placed in institutions but then moved to foster care. Young children living in institutions were randomly assigned to continued institutional care or to placement in foster care, and their cognitive development was tracked through 54 months of age. The cognitive outcome of children who remained in the institution was markedly below that of never-institutionalized children and children taken out of the institution and placed into foster care. The improved cognitive outcomes we observed at 42 and 54 months were most marked for the youngest children placed in foster care. These results point to the negative sequelae of early institutionalization, suggest a possible sensitive period in cognitive development, and underscore the advantages of family placements for young abandoned children.
Posted by: ebina2 at November 7, 2009 12:06 AMThank God someone has come to their senses! Hope this will make a difference SOON.
Posted by: Janelee at November 7, 2009 09:25 AMMaybe I missed it in here somewhere, but who are they sharing this information with? Are they presenting it to government officials, or just anyone who cares to come and listen?
I do hope that people with some influence listen. It is heartbreaking thinking of all the kids in facilities in Guatemala right now. From what friends who are still in process right now tell me, a majority of the facilities where they kids live are extremely substandard. It just isn't right!
Posted by: Christi at November 7, 2009 01:12 PM
I have just found out that after waiting 2 years for 3 Guatemalan children I was going to adopt, that my paperwork was never sent to the Embassy in Guatemala, the facilitator was paying the natural mothers to keep their kids, from the money he accepted for adoption, and he has closed his office, left town, and my dossier is still in his possession! My case was one of the grandfathered cases which never even made it to the first DNA test. I put a second mortgage on my home to adopt these kids, and am not financially able to start over with a new adoption. How tragic, not only for me, but for any children who could have had a loving home with me and now won't, because of a crooked facilitator and inept adoption agency who used the facilitator in the first place!
No, kidding, amen!
Yes, lets get rid of the corruption.. but the answer is not to close down adoption all together and the children pay the price.
That is precisely what has happened in Latin America, one country at a time.
Our family continues to pray for the children, and for govt to have the wisdom and insights to open up the doors of adoption in fair and reasonable ways.
Thanks for the update,
gloria
mom to 5 Guatemalan blessings
This is certainly good news. However I am still wating 2 plus years to get my daughter home. I agree her human rights are being violated and not because the country shut down. I was to be a grandfathered case and to follow the old rules but the country has lots of other problems. Even if you get the adoptions up and running the first thing that needs to change is the PGN process where you go in and out for each previo. Hopefully the new regime has a better way of handling previos. I of course know the previos have a lot to do with the lawyer assigned to your case but this thought process they have now whereby your adoption completely stops until the previo is fixed and then your file enters and is looked at all over again time and time again...meanwhile months and months go by. There has got to be a better way all around. Before we discuss reopening the adoptions in Guatemala they need to discuss having a better procedure in place. Is CNA just going to do the same as PGN? If so, the children's rights will still be violated. When I think it is over two years now and my child still is not home...I think this is a crime. Especially since this was an adoption that was allowed to continue even when all adoptions did shut down. So everything needs to be considered...shutting down adoptions and the process that is not working. Is the new regime ready to correct what has been wrong for so long? I am not seeing any change right now for the good. The grandfathered adoptions are taking longer then before to complete. I get the impression they don't want us to bring our child home. We have witnessed new steps thrown into our adoption that we were not supposed to be subjected to. The grandfathered adoptions that haven't finalized...talk about crime...I really feel bad for these cases...these kids wait and wait...nobody helps the family to get these kids home sooner...and nobody can help. Our government says it is Guatemalan government so they can't intervene. The US can put pressure to ask for them to be finalize but I only witness more slowness. Last year cases were going through PGN in a matter of weeks...now it is months...and now there is a Minor's process that has been introduced...Again talk about crime...let's look at the path these adoptions are going on...all roads lead to back in PGN...The children don't ever get out. There's a future book out there...No escape from PGN!!! If someone wants to help...let's get these kids home first and then open up a new adoption system...this old one just isn't working!!!!
Posted by: Karen at November 10, 2009 10:51 AM