AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS/SOFIA - Adoption is often associated with poor countries in the global South. Yet Flanders and the Netherlands adopt children from other European countries, such as Bulgaria and Hungary. This cross-border research shows that Roma children in these countries are discriminated against and end up in the adoption system due to stigma, poverty and a lack of support for families. 

Both Flanders and the Netherlands had a study conducted on the sending countries to decide from which countries adoption would still be possible in the future. The issues of discrimination, poverty and a lack of support for families in Bulgaria and Hungary were raised several times in those screenings. Nevertheless, both countries decided not to break off the collaboration. 

The research was conducted by the weekly magazine Knack, the platform Investico, the TV programme Zembla, the Bulgarian newspaper 24chasa and the Hungarian medium Atlatszo.

Human rights organization: stop adoptions immediately (Investico, 24/06/2024)

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Stel je voor dat je geadopteerd bent en besluit om je biologische familie op te sporen. Na veel werk lukt het je om je moeder te ontmoeten, maar later blijkt dat dit een fout was en de vrouw niet echt familie van je is. Het overkwam Rodrigo, die uiteindelijk de waarheid boven tafel kreeg. “Mijn intuïtie zei dat er iets niet klopte.”

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Julienne Mpemba's trial, which began on June 24, is coming to an end. The Namur native of Congolese origin risks up to 12 years in prison for child trafficking. The children had been taken from their families in Congo to be adopted in Belgium.

It took seven years for the case to finally come to a conclusion . In a few days, Julienne Mpemba will know whether she has been found guilty or not. The 47-year-old woman from Namur of Congolese origin is suspected of human trafficking, adoption fraud, kidnapping of minors, hostage-taking, fraud, corruption and forgery . In 2016, the federal prosecutor's office revealed that at least three of the 11 children who arrived in Belgium in 2015 had been kidnapped. They had been given other identities and dates of birth even though they were not intended to be adopted . These illegal procedures had nevertheless gone under the radar of the Authorized Adoption Organizations (OAA), the French Community and the Belgian and Congolese authorities (several people and organizations were prosecuted but all the cases ended in dismissal).

The trial began on June 24 and, on Wednesday July 3, the pleadings and replies were on the menu for this third day of hearing. Who is Julienne Mpemba? Arriving alone in Belgium, during her youth, she studied law at UCL. With her degree in hand, she then found a job as a lawyer in the Walloon Region. She also ran on the socialist lists during the 2014 European elections. " Because she was sensitive to the poverty in Congo, she decided to create a non-profit organization in 2008 with the aim of sponsoring abandoned children. She herself adopted a little Congolese boy, notes her counsel. She knows the reality of adoption. From 2011, the project will change and become more ambitious. During 2012, several idealists launched the adoption component and created the Tumaini orphanage, which means "hope", in collaboration with the French Community (FWB). Mrs. Mpemba found premises in Congo, nannies and an administrative team to supervise all the young children who were often in poor health. The aim is to offer them a chance."

"She got into debt for these children"

Two waves of adoptions took place in 2012 and 2013. But on September 25, 2013, a moratorium was issued by Joseph Kabila, the former president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, saying that children could no longer leave the country for adoptions. " Everyone is in a terrible situation at that time," continues the defense counsel. "We had to feed these children, provide them with medical care, pay the rent for the orphanage, the salaries of the nannies, ... But there is no support, no social security, no subsidy, no help to run this orphanage. So it is Mrs. Mpemba who is struggling on her own funds. She has gone into debt everywhere to run the structure and accommodate these children."

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The last day of the trial of Julienne Mpemba from Namur, prosecuted for adoption fraud, human trafficking, kidnapping of minors, hostage-taking, fraud, corruption as well as forgery and use of forged documents, took place this Wednesday before the criminal court of Namur.

Julienne Mpemba, a Belgian-Congolese woman from Namur, is suspected of adoption fraud. Belgian families find themselves with a child stolen from Congo. For the defense, all organizations involved in adoption are responsible. The public prosecutor is requesting 12 years in prison.
 

The last day of the trial of Julienne Mpemba from Namur, prosecuted for adoption fraud, human trafficking, kidnapping of minors, hostage-taking, fraud, corruption as well as forgery and use of forged documents, took place this Wednesday before the criminal court of Namur.

For the civil parties, "The defendant lies compulsively." For the federal public prosecutor, the defendant knew that children had been abducted but she still sent them for adoption. He is requesting a 12-year prison sentence.

However, Julienne Mpemba has always denied the facts with which she is accused.

Korea's domestic adoption system bars international couples from becoming adoptive parents

This July marks a significant milestone for British national Thomas Pallett and his Korean wife surnamed Kang: seven years of unsuccessful attempts to adopt a child in Korea.

The couple, who live in the southeastern port city of Busan, have faced persistent rejections from local adoption agencies, which primarily cite Pallett’s British nationality as the obstacle. They got married in Korea in May 2019, with Pallett obtaining an F-6 marriage visa that grants him permanent residency.

“Our discussions on adoption began in July 2018 even before we were married. When we first met, I was 35 and my wife was 40. We knew having our own child could be difficult,” Pallett said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

“We tried numerous fertility treatments, including three rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF), but all were unsuccessful," he said.

CHENNAI: S Velmayil (34) and P Baby (36), prospective adoptive parents with disabilities, were denied a four-month-old baby allocated to them after waiting for four long years, allegedly due to their disabilities.

The couple, hailing from Srivaikuntam in Thoothukudi district, were assigned the baby by a specialised adoption agency in Gandhigram, Dindigul district. However, a five-member adoption committee, which included the district child protection officer, stated that the couple would not be able to care for the child, particularly in the first two years, due to their disability.

Velmayil has a locomotor disability affecting both lower limbs, with 90% disability. Baby also has locomotor disability affecting her right hand and right leg, with 80% disability. Velmayil works at a fuel station, while Baby is a noon meal organiser. They currently live in Thoothukudi with Velmayil’s parents.

Married in 2016, the couple registered to adopt a child in 2020. Following the registration, a social worker conducted a home visit. After completing three years on the waiting list in 2024, they renewed their application this March. Another home visit was done after the renewal as well.

“We registered for adoption at the district child protection office and submitted all documents, including disability certificates. We did the same during the renewal process. Neither the officers present nor any information available from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) indicated that our disabilities would be a barrier to adopting a child,” said Velmayil.

Julienne Mpemba from Namur is currently being prosecuted for child trafficking. But two years ago, she was ordered to repay €84,363 to Maurice Luca, a former professor at UNamur. He hasn't received anything yet, but he's giving her a chance.
 

Julienne Mpemba , a 47-year-old Belgian-Congolese woman living in Namur, is currently being prosecuted for adoption fraud, human trafficking, kidnapping of minors, hostage-taking, fraud, corruption, forgery and use of forged documents. After eight years of investigation, the case was argued two weeks ago before the criminal court. From the beginning, Julienne has denied the evidence against her. However, the public prosecutor is requesting a 12-year prison sentence.

After some research, we learned that Julienne Mpemba had already been convicted in another case. We contacted Maurice Luca, a philosophy professor at UNamur who has been retired for two years. She actually owes him the sum of €84,363 since a judgment handed down on 20 December 2022 by the Namur Court of First Instance.

Before telling us his story, this former teacher indicates that he wants to respect the principle of presumption of innocence for the case in which Julienne Mpemba is currently charged. But as far as his story is concerned, Julienne has in fact been convicted. "We met in 2012 and she told me about her project for the "Tumani" orphanage in Kinshasa (Editor's note: an orphanage through which the stolen children passed). We got on well and she quickly asked me for €2,500 for her project. I decided to help her because I trusted her," believes Maurice, who has faith in human beings.

For two and a half years, however, he had no news from Julienne. It turns out that she had spent some time in prison for fraud in the context of adoption fraud, a case that is currently being argued. “Then around 2018, when I had no news, I showed up at her house. She was at rock bottom and was taking a lot of medication. I listened to her. She told me she wanted to relaunch a legal consultancy firm in Congo. But she had no money. I offered to help her again.”

PUDUCHERRY: A Puducherry resident who was trying to adopt a child was cheated of Rs 1.07 lakh by an online group posing as an adoption agency. The victim, Sinode, had reached out to the group after spotting a Facebook advertisement for child adoption under the name ‘Anbu Illam’ said Inspector (Cyber Wing) BC Keerthi.

Sinode responded to the ad and was soon contacted by the fraudsters. They sent him photographs of more than ten children, asking which one he would like to adopt. Believing the scheme to be genuine, Sinode continued the conversation. Over the span of a month, the group tricked him into transferring Rs 1.07 lakh, in various installments, under the guise of handling “legal proceedings” for the adoption.

The scam came to light when Sinode realised that despite the payments, no real progress was made, prompting him to report the matter to cyber police. Authorities are now investigating the case to trace the fraudsters.