Govt amends inter-country adoption process

KOSH RAJ KOIRALA

KATHMANDU, Dec 31: Amidst serious concern in the international community that inter-country adoption from Nepal was subject to widespread abuse, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) has amended the conditions and procedures relating to inter-country adoption.

The amendment that came into effect recently adopts new measures to ensure that children being approved for inter-country adoption are genuinely ´orphan´ or ´destitute´.

The amendment published in the Nepal Gazette makes it mandatory for any children´s home, orphanage or children´s organization facilitating inter-country adoption to submit details of each orphan child to a Probe and Recommendation Committee (PRC) within seven days and to a Family Selection Committee (FSC) under the ministry within 14 days after the concerned District Administration Office (DAO) verifies that the child in question is an ´orphan´ or a ´destitute´ seeking foster parents.

Ukraine pours cold water on Elton's wish to adopt baby (AFP) – 16 hours ago KIEV — Elton John may not adopt a Ukrainian orphan because the former Soviet republic's law allows foreigners to adopt only if they are married, officials told AFP Monday. Sir Elton "does not have the right to do it because there are certain obstacles which cannot be overcome," Lyudmila Balym, an official within Ukraine's ministry for family, said. She said Ukrainian law stipulates that foreign adoptive parents must be married couples and added that homosexual marriage is not recognized in the country. The singer-songwriter married his long-time partner, David Furnish, in December 2005 in Britain where same-sex marriages are authorized. Balym added that the age difference between adoptive parents and the child must not exceed 45 years under Ukrainian law. Sir Elton, 62, and Furnish, 47, do not fulfill this criterion either, she said. Sir Elton revealed on Saturday that he wanted to adopt a 14-month-old boy he had met in a Ukrainian orphanage, saying the youngster called Lev had "stolen his heart". The singer-songwriter, visiting the Ukraine with his AIDS charity foundation, performed for children at the orphanage, some of whose parents had died of the disease. He follows a long line of pop stars, Hollywood celebrities and politicians seeking to adopt a child -- and he is not the first to find his private life a problem. Controversy surrounded fellow megastar Madonna's adoption of two children in Malawi. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman and other Hollywood names have also made headlines by adding orphans from impoverished countries to their families. US actress Mia Farrow adopted 10 of her 14 children in countries ranging from India to South Korea and Vietnam. Sir Elton's adoption bid has already sparked heated debate in the young boy's homeland, with some expressing shock at the idea of giving the child to a gay couple. "They are going to destroy this child's life," said Oleg, a 29-year-old serviceman from the area of the orphanage who only gave his first name. "They will make him camp, just like they are. He is in all likelihood HIV positive, the best thing they could do is leave him to live out the rest of his life in peace." "He will be seen as a pansy from the start and will become one without doubt," added Igor, a 43-year-old journalist. It will not be possible to confirm whether the toddler is HIV positive until he reaches the age of 18 months, said staff at the orphanage, which is in the eastern city of Makeyevka. But others supported the idea and said it could give the youngster the chance of a better life. "Why not? At least the child will have a normal life," said Lyudmila Batikhina, a medical assistant at the orphanage. Irina Kuzmenko, a student in the city of Donetsk not far from Makeyevka, went as far as to say she envied the child who had been picked out by the wealthy singer. "Does it really matter who your parents are as long as they love you?" she said. "I want him to adopt me too," she joked. Ukraine has one of the fastest rising HIV rates in Europe. Two years ago Sir Elton gave a free concert in the main square in Kiev attended by tens of thousands of people to raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in the country. The star has sold more than 250 million records worldwide, with 29 consecutive Top 40 Hits and 35 gold and 25 platinum albums.

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Elton John says wants to adopt Ukrainian baby Sat Sep 12, 2009 12:23pm EDT Email | Print | Share | Reprints | Single Page [-] Text [+] 1 of 3Full Size Featured Broker sponsored link DONETSK, Ukraine (Reuters) - British singer Elton John, visiting Ukraine with his AIDS charity foundation, said on Saturday he wanted to adopt a 14-month-old boy from an orphanage in the east of the country. Ukraine has the fastest rising HIV rates in Europe. Two years ago the singer gave a free concert on the main square in Kiev attended by tens of thousands people to raise awareness of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS. Elton John's AIDS Foundation collaborates with the Ukrainian Anti-AIDS Foundation of Olena Franchuk, daughter of former President Leonid Kuchma. He performed 'Circle of Life' for children at the orphanage -- some there because their parents had died of AIDS. Later he and partner David Furnish, who had a 14-month boy called Lev on his knee, were asked whether they thought of adopting. "David and I have always talked about adoption," Elton John replied. "David always wanted to adopt a child and I always said 'no' because I am 62 and I think because of the traveling I do and the life I have, maybe it wouldn't be fair for the child." "But having seen Lev today, I would love to adopt him. I don't know how we do that but he has stolen my heart. And he has stolen David's heart and it would be wonderful if we can have a home. I've changed my mind today," he said. John said the death of his long-term keyboardist, Guy Babylon, had also helped change his mind. "Last week I lost one of my best friends ... It broke my heart because he was such a genius and so young and has two wonderful children. What better opportunity to replace someone I lost than to replace him with someone I can give a future to." (Reporting by Sergei Karazy; writing by Sabina Zawadzki)

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Elton John: My heartache over adoption 18/04/2010 Elton John has told of his heartbreak at not being able to adopt two children - but says he still hopes to be a father. In September Elton, 62, and partner David Furnish wanted to two young brothers they met on a Ukrainian orphanage tour. But a government minister said they would be denied because Elton is not "tradition-ally married" and too old. Appearing on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Sir Elton said: "There were too many laws that said we couldn't do it in the Ukraine and it broke our hearts because we fell in love with these kids. "Life is all about learning, trying to change what you are. I think a child would possibly be the icing on the cake but, so far, no."

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David Furnish had no adoption age concerns
	Posted : Fri, 21 May 2010 08:38:35 GMT By : Bang Media Category : Entertainment News Alerts by Email ( click here ) Entertainment News | Home

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/324789,david-furnish-had-no-adoption-age-concerns.html

Elton John to 'support' young Ukrainian boy he wanted to adopt Dec 8 2009 SIR ELTON JOHN is to "support" the young Ukrainian child who touched his heart - even though he has given up hope of adoption. The musician's partner, David Furnish, said today that they were now campaigning for a change in the law in Ukraine and added that he was "gutted" they could not bring young Lev to the UK to live with them. Furnish told BBC Radio 5 Live's Victoria Derbyshire that he and Sir Elton were trying to ensure the youngster and his brother have the best chances in life while staying in their home country. But he admitted they had abandoned plans for adoption. He said: "It's not possible - the laws don't support the adoption. And we are finding ways of supporting Lev and his brother from here, keeping them in their own country and just making sure that they have the best health care, education and family options available to them." Sir Elton met the youngster when he visited an orphanage in the Ukraine for HIV-positive children in the summer. But his wish to adopt Lev and his brother was curtailed by the authorities because the millionaire star was deemed too old at 62 and was also in a same-sex relationship. Furnish continued: "We'd love to adopt them and bring them back here to Britain but the laws don't support us in that regard so we're going to do everything we can from here and keep them in their own country." He said he was "gutted, massively gutted" when they learned they would not be able to bring the children up. "I'm hugely disappointed. Really felt we could make a huge difference in their lives, but we'll make a difference from here. "And we'll do as much as we can from here and support them as much as we can. And we're going to continue to campaign about those laws. "I think there's a lot of things they need to catch up in terms of adoption and the status of the child that's HIV positive and what the status of their adoption is within their country." He added: "It won't apply to Lev and his brother because we just want to get them out of the orphanage and with a good family as soon as possible. But for future children, they can have a better and a smoother path." Furnish - who is to open a 'pop-up shop' in London's Covent Garden later this week to sell-off many of Sir Elton's designer outfits - also claimed friends of troubled singer George Michael had called them asking that they step in to help the star. It comes just days after an interview in which Michael admitted being caught in possession of crack cocaine and told Sir Elton to stop interfering with his life. "Elton just needs to shut his mouth and get on with his own life," he told The Guardian. But today Furnish echoed previous concerns saying: "The difficult thing for Elton and me is a lot of George's friends keep calling us saying, 'You have to do something, George is in a bad way, he's in a bad state.' We're only reacting to what his close friends say to us. "I respect George, I love George, I think he's a huge talent. I just hope he's well and happy and continues to be the great artist he is."

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December 2008

Nieuwsbrief Ethiopië

Met de Jaarwisseling voor de deur willen wij u, via deze Nieuwsbrief , op de hoogte brengen van de stand van zaken in het Ethiopië contact.

2008 is een bewogen jaar geweest, zeker voor u, als wachtende ouders. Oplopende wachttijden voor aanvragen van kinderen vanaf 2 jaar, minder adoptieaankomsten, verhoging van de adoptiekosten en aangekondigde bezuinigingen en sanering van personeel bij Wereldkinderen.

Stand van zaken