Denmark’s sole international adoption agency, Danish International Adoption (DIA), has announced its decision to cease its facilitation of overseas adoptions. This follows rising concerns raised by a government agency regarding fabricated documents and questionable procedures surrounding the biological origins of adopted children abroad. The privately run DIA, which operated in countries such as the Philippines, Thailand and Taiwan (among others), faced suspension of its operations in South Africa last month due to doubts about its adherence to legal standards.
On the same day, Norway’s top regulatory body recommended a two-year halt to all overseas adoptions. This was due to a pending investigation into several allegedly illegal cases. The move comes in response to longstanding concerns raised by adoptive families regarding fraudulent practices. These includes false registration of babies as abandoned orphans, concealed backgrounds, and expedited transfers through falsified paperwork.
Must prioritize the best interest of the child
International laws, including those of Denmark, typically advocate for keeping children in their countries of origin whenever possible. The Danish Social Affairs Ministry described the discontinuation of DIA’s operations as the most significant crisis in adoption in the past decade. The ministry emphasized the need for proper procedures to ensure the well-being of adopted children and transparency with biological parents.
In Norway, Kjersti Toppe, the Minister for Children and Families, has called for further investigation. He expressed the belief that adoptions must prioritize the safety and best interests of the child. The Norwegian Directorate for Children, Youth, and Family Affairs emphasized the risk of illegalities in the adoption process.
Already a decline in international adoptions
International adoption in Denmark has witnessed a decline over the last decade. DIA has been handling about 20-40 adoptions annually in recent years. This is down from 400-500 per year in the 1970s. In Norway, where a majority of adopted children come from Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea, and Colombia, three private adoption agencies are under scrutiny following media reports of potentially illegal adoptions. Norway’s VG newspaper reported instances of children being sold in the Philippines and provided with false birth certificates.
In response to the developments, Sweden’s sole adoption agency had already halted adoptions from South Korea back in in November. This is prompted by growing concern over the fabrication of documents related to the heritage of adopted children from Asia.
Countries are closely examining international adoptions to ensure they are legal, transparent, and ethically conducted.
Source: Yahoo
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