2024-06-27
THE HAGUE - A group of children's rights and advocacy organisations is calling on outgoing minister Weerwind (Legal Protection, D66) to also stop ongoing adoption procedures with immediate effect. They are doing this in response to reports by Investico and TV programme Zembla. According to the group, it is "completely irresponsible" to finalise the ongoing procedures.
A group of children's rights and advocacy organisations is calling on outgoing minister Weerwind (Legal Protection, D66) to also stop ongoing adoption procedures with immediate effect. They are doing this in response to reports by Investico and TV programme Zembla. According to the group, it is "completely irresponsible" to finalise the ongoing procedures.
Together with international partners, Investico and TV programme Zembla investigated adoptions from Hungary and Bulgaria, among others. From there, it emerged that poverty and discrimination play a role in these countries when children are taken away from their parents. Also, parents often have few opportunities to object and there is little help for poor families, which should prevent children from growing up apart from their parents.
In international adoption, an important maxim is that a country of origin must do everything possible to prevent children from being separated from their parents. Investico and Zembla's investigation shows that this often hardly happens in Bulgaria and Hungary. According to local experts, this is especially the case with children coming from Roma families.
Outgoing minister Weerwind (Legal Protection, D66) informed Investico and Zembla that there are still 500 ongoing adoption procedures that will not be stopped for the time being. A phase-out plan for international adoptions is due after the summer. Of the 500 parents still in the procedure, 200 have already progressed to the point where they are close to being matched with a child.
In May, Weerwind suddenly decided to stop international adoptions following an adopted motion by MP Michiel van Nispen (SP). In 2022, Weerwind introduced another new system for international adoptions, which included additional checks. It included investigations into all adoption countries. Investico, together with TV programme Zembla and international partners, investigated these country investigations and the practice in Bulgaria and Hungary.
Further details can be found on the project page.
Source: Mensenrechtenorganisaties: stop onmiddellijk met adopties, Investico, 24/06/2024
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