Friday, August 29, 2008

Could it be any clearer?

I am constantly called upon to defend words like "corrupt" exploitaion, coercion, trafficking and even industry and phrases like "supply and demand"...in regards to adoption by those who want to continue to see the world through rose-colored glasses and want to beleive that adoption rescues "unwanted" chidlren."

Could anything saying it clearer than this?

Nepal urged to focus on child rights in adoption
Fri Aug 29, 2008 7:02pm IST

By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - The sale, abduction and trafficking of children is rife in Nepal and the government should do more to encourage adoption by domestic families, a U.N. study released on Friday said.

Nepal suspended adoption of its children by foreign families last year amid criticism that the practice involved corruption and some children were being sold for thousands of dollars.

But the government cleared most of the 442 pending applications for adoption early this year after preparing a new set of rules for foreigners wanting to adopt Nepali children, officials said.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and a Swiss child relief agency, Terre des hommes (Tdh), said in a report only four out of every 100 adopted children were adopted by Nepali families. Many were not orphaned and were separated from their families.

"An industry has grown up around adoption in which profit rather than the best interests of the child takes the centre stage," said Gillian Mellsop, chief of UNICEF in Nepal.

"Appropriate legal safeguards and a functioning alternative care to parental care can prevent abuse and allow intercountry adoption to continue for those who need it."

Prakash Kumar Adhikary, a senior official in the Nepali Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, said the Himalayan republic was trying to prepare comprehensive new laws in line with international conventions on adoption, and until then new requests from foreign families would not be considered.

"The existing rules are not comprehensive enough and we must create necessary legal and other infrastructure before accepting new requests," Adhikary said.

Joseph Aguettant, Nepal chief of Tdh, said the government should play a key role in adoption, which must not be left to the orphanages or other centres alone.

"Biological parents are often misled," he said. "Parents were led to believe that the child will return to them. But this is not the case."

Families from the United States and western Europe are increasingly turning to countries such Nepal for adoption.

Activists said hundreds of children from Nepal, among the world's poorest countries, have been adopted by foreign families in recent years.

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Sadly, Nepal is NOT the exception! A "racket" stealing and selling children for adoption in India has recently come to light...despite the long, hard work of David Smolin in reporting this. These countries are just the newest additions to the long list of countries exploited, as the vulture baby brokers follow poverty and social upheaval around the globe starting in Asia, to eastern Europe, South America, now back to southern Asia and Africa...with Ethiopia being the newest adoption marketplace.

The Hague is helping. According the most recent update (August 28th) from the U.S. State Department, the following agencies have bee DENIED accreditation:

A.A.C.
Berthoud, CO
April 2008
Colorado DHS

Adoption Blessings Worldwide
Macon, GA
April 2008
COA

Adoption From the Heart
Wynnewood, PA
May 2008
COA

Adopt International
Miami Beach, FL
May 2008
COA

Angel’s Haven Outreach
Indio, CA
May 2008
COA

Celebrate Children
Oviedo, FL
May 2008
COA

Children's House International
Ferndale, WA
May 2008
COA

Children's Hope International
St. Louis, MO
July 2008
COA

Commonwealth Adoptions International Inc.
Tuscon, AZ
May 2008
COA

Cradle of Hope Adoption Center
Silver Springs Maryland
May 2008
COA

DeColores Adoptions International
Lake Charles, LA
May 2008
COA

Florida Home Studies and Adoptions
arasota, FL
May 2008
COA

Focus on Children dba Focus on
Children of Wyoming
Cokeville, WY
May 2008
COA

Las Estrellas
dba Adoption Partners
Simpsonville, SC
March 2008
COA

Plan Loving Adoptions Now
McMinnville, OR
June 2008
COA

West Sands Adoption
St. George, Utah
July 2008
COA

World Partners Adoption
Lawrenceville, GA
June 2008
COA

Worldwide Adoption Services
Spartanburg, SC
June 2008
COA

But we need to do MORE!




1 comment:

Third Mom said...

Hi, Mirah, thanks for stopping by the other day! And thanks for this list - I think people might actually pay more attention to the agencies who DIDN'T get accredited than those who did.

Cradle of Hope is right in my backyard, wow. Thanks for the heads up. Hope all is well in your world!

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