On October 10, 2022, it was announced that TV program Spoorloos linked at least two participants to non-biological family. Following this news, we can imagine that you have questions about how Fiom conducts searches in Colombia. You can read more about this below. Do you have any questions? Feel free to call or email us on 088 126 49 00 or info@fiom.nl .

1. Who do we work with when it comes to searches in Colombia?

For searches in Colombia, Fiom collaborates with the Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar (ICBF, Colombian Institute for Family Welfare). The ICBF is a government agency concerned with the protection of the rights of minors. The ICBF has 33 branches in the various departments and conducts searches for biological families at the request of adoptees.

2. How does the ICBF search?

The ICBF searches through formal channels. Once the identity number of the wanted person is known and checked in the national register, the ICBF requests various organizations, such as health and benefit organizations, to provide up-to-date contact details of the wanted person. After receiving these data, a social worker from the ICBF will contact the person sought by telephone or a home visit will take place. The ICBF never contacts the wanted person via social media.

In fact, it was through the ministry’s push that hard to place children were also adopted, with 42 such children finding safe homes.

NEW DELHI: Of the 905 adoption cases pending with the various courts in the country, as many as 361 adoption orders have been issued in just two months since the amended Juvenile Justice Act (JJ Act), 2015 was notified in September, officials said on Tuesday.

The amended JJ Act, which shifted the power to issue adoption orders from the courts to the district magistrate, helped fast-track the adoption procedure from over three years to two months, officials of the Women and Child Development Ministry (WCD) added.

“There were 905 adoption orders pending with the court on September 23; now, it has come down to 644. A total of 361 adoption orders have been issued,” the official said, adding that constant efforts are being made to reduce the pendency of adoption orders, keeping in mind the welfare of the children.

After the notification was issued on September 23, a total of 589 children have been adopted till today.In fact, it was through the ministry’s push that hard to place children were also adopted, with 42 such children finding safe homes.

Adopted children can face many challenges, such as the impact of early trauma. What can parents do to support them? Author and adoptive dad Ben Fergusson investigates.

In 2018, my husband and I were one of the first married same-sex couples to adopt in Germany. Before we were approved, we had to complete a long process of interviews, financial and medical checks, as well as extensive preparation classes. In these classes, we were often confronted with the myriad challenges that many adoptive children face. Some of them are to do with a fundamental sense of separation and loss: what the Scottish writer and adoptee Jackie Kay, in her memoir, Red Dust Road, describes as the "windy place right at the core of my heart". Others are rooted in traumatic experiences that occurred before the adoption, which can include neglect and abuse, prenatal alcohol exposure, or spending early childhood in institutional care.

While individual experiences of adoption can vary hugely, these underlying traumas can pose long-term risks for the child. According to an analysis of 85 studies on the mental health of adoptees and non-adoptees, the risk of adoptees experiencing psychiatric disorders, having contact with mental health services, or treatment in a psychiatric hospital was approximately double that of non-adoptees. Similarly, a Swedish study on international adoptees found a higher risk of severe mental health problems and suicide in adolescence and young adulthood among children who had been adopted.

However, although being adopted is associated with these risks, a successful adoption placement can help vulnerable children overcome the early adversity they faced. Adoption has been shown to help close the developmental gap between children who have been in care and their peers, having a measurably positive impact on, for instance, their cognitive development.

For children who have faced abuse or neglect in their birth families, adoption and foster care can bring a range of long-term benefits that continue to have an effect well into adulthood – the most important arguably being an enduring sense of safety. But this journey can vary greatly depending on individual circumstances, notably the child's age at adoption. One study has shown that children adopted at a very young age were as securely attached to their permanent families as non-adopted children, while children adopted later tended to struggle more with attachment.

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States Parties undertake to respect the right of the child to preserve his or her identity, including nationality, name and family relations as recognized by law without unlawful interference.

Where a child is illegally deprived of some or all of the elements of his or her identity, States Parties shall provide appropriate assistance and protection, with a view to speedily re-establishing his or her identity

What does article 8 say?

Article 8 protects children's right to preserve their identity, including their nationality, name and family relations, without unlawful interference. In addition, States are required to help children regain any aspect of their identity that has been taken away from them illegally.

The second part of an investigation into global adoption examines the possible abduction and selling of thousands of Georgian babies

On a cold December day in 1990, Irma Dvalishvili gave birth to twin girls in the maternity hospital in Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. Irma vividly recalls the doctor telling her that both girls were healthy, but the following day the family learned that one of the twins had died.

Different doctors cited different reasons. The hospital initially refused to give the body to the family, but after much pleading a wrapped infant was eventually handed over. Yet no-one checked the baby’s identity.

At the time, the family did not imagine they would ever come to ask whether their child was, in fact, still alive.

Now, 32 years later, Mariam Kobelashvili is searching with unwavering conviction for her twin sister. “If you have ever come across someone who looks like me, I am asking you from the bottom of my heart, please, get in touch,” Mariam said in a recent post on a Facebook group dedicated to reuniting Georgians with children suspected to have been snatched at birth.

Imagine for a minute that you don’t know who your mother is. Now imagine that you are that mother, and you don’t know what became of your daughter.

Imagine the questions that the daughter would live with on a daily basis. Why did my mom give me up? And imagine that mother, possibly plagued by regret, and very likely thinking of her lost daughter.

For Janine Vance and her sister, Jenette, these are not imaginings, but everyday life. Adopted into the United States from Korea when they were very young, the two women have next to no information about their original family, and very little detail about the circumstances of their adoption. In order to answer her own questions, and those of other adoptees not only from Korea but around the world, Janine has spent years researching the questionable practices of adoption agencies. She has written books on the topic, and formed a support network for those in similar situations. She calls her research and the collection of resulting books that also includes her memoirs, The rEvolutionary Orphan Collective.

Doubtless there are legitimate providers of children from other countries to the United States for adoption by U.S. parents. Yet what Janine suspects, is what her research points to: an adoption machine that hints at human trafficking, evangelical agendas, and, at the very least, taking children from those less advantaged to give to the more advantaged—for a profit.

“The primary concern I have about the current adoption procedure for children, whether from Asia or Africa, or anywhere in the world, is that it is based on secrecy in order for it to be effective and profitable,” explained Janine. “It has been created by various churches and based on shame. It has exploded into a network known as the Evangelical Orphan Movement and used as an effort to proselytize to other people’s children. It generates massive amounts of money for profiteers or adoptioneers. It ignores the rights of children as enshrined in the original intent of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child…Korean children are not the only children exploited by the industry, but…there are several mass child migration schemes that have plagued communities, particularly organized by various religious entities, starting as early as 1618. It continues today because no one knows the crisis exists.”

I am from Romania. As I write this I am looking for my biological family. In the meantime I have found and met my sister Viorica. She and I have been in close contact for a few years now and I traveled to America, where she lives, to meet her. It felt like old times and very familiar. But because of this, my desire to find and possibly meet my parents has grown even more.

Experience story Sister found now my parents still.jpg

Together with her, I have already started with the information we have. We have names of our parents, of our sisters and brothers, but it's just not enough! I've never felt so desperate about it. Fortunately I have Viorica, I can really share everything with her, but at the same time it hurts that I just can't visit her quickly. I really want to know who my parents are, who I'm most like and if I recognize things in them in terms of character.

Sometimes I lie awake in bed for hours or I cry myself to sleep. Just because I want to know who those people are who brought me into the world and gave me up, the reason why. I'm not 100% sure yet. I've been told it's for money, that they couldn't give me what they might want to give. I often wonder: Why? I hope somewhere they want to meet me and my sister.

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Tandur: adoption racketeers did not just try to take advantage of women who had several daughters and convince them to give away one; they even targetted women who had just one daughter, to make money in the process. the plight of sita bai of chindanur thanda at kunchawaram in gulbarga district of karnataka is unimaginable. for the last nine months she has been desparately trying to locate her baby. "no one is helping me," sita bai told the times of india.with tears rolling down her eyes, she said she had been deceived by parvathi bai, an agent of savithri, into giving away her daughter. sita bai's daughter deepya was nine months old when parvathi bai approached her. "she told me she would show me my daughter every week and took her to the adoption home in tandur. i have never got to see my daughter after that," sita bai said. the woman had given away her daughter just eight days before the racket was busted. when she got to know what happened, she went along with three other women from her village, who had also given away their daughters, to the john abraham memorial bethany home at tandur. but the babies had been shifted from there. she, however, has not come to hyderabad to the sishu vihar to trace her daughter there. "my husband left me long back. i do not have anyone who can accompany me.the police said they would help me but so far i have not got back my daughter," sita bai said. from her village, another lambada kamli bai had given away her three-day-old daughter and another woman, poona babi her four-day-old baby girl. sita bai has a son but her heart is going out for her daughter from whom she has been separated. "i was paagal (mad) to have given away my daughter. i want her back," she cried narrating her tale of woe, near the kunchawaram police station in bordering karnataka state. they had heard it before too, but did little to help sita bai get back her daughter,who could be at the sishu vihar in hyderabad.

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Liz (48) is three months old when she is adopted from Germany by Dutch parents. Two years ago, she met her birth mother for the first time. “She had no regrets,” she said very firmly and without emotion. 'Didn't I end up well?'”

Liz: “We were going to fondue that night, I was looking forward to it all day; it was my favorite food. 'We have to tell you something. You're adopted," my mother said. Her best friend was a psychotherapist, she had insisted that my parents should tell me the truth. I was seven and had no suspicions until that point. I was an only child and white, just like my parents. There was no reason to think I wasn't their child. The message really came like a bolt from the blue.

After the high word was out, my mother continued to fill the dishes. An immense sadness overcame me; I didn't know how to behave. It suddenly felt like I was visiting my own house. All this time I was lied to. My parents had always been firm about lying; you do not do that. That basic value suddenly vanished. I was also so angry at my birth mother. Who would throw away their own child? I found my new truth so painful that I rationally decided it just wouldn't be there. I did tell my best friends at school the next day, but after that I didn't want to talk about it anymore.

Two weeks later my mother asked if I understood what she had told me. I understood that very well, but I wanted to think about it as little as possible. My parents are honest and sincere, and while they didn't handle everything right, they did it with the best of intentions. My mother was infertile and they were on the long waiting list for adoption in the Netherlands. A cousin in Germany had an unwanted pregnant colleague. He mediated, and that is how I came to the Netherlands.”

Curious about my roots

Principal Correspondent :

A hundred years ago, on May 8, 1921, a social organisation was started by women for providing obstetrics facilities in Nagpur city, the heart of India. The Matru Sewa Sangh, a voluntary organisation founded by ‘Padma Shri’ Kamalatai Hospet, bringing laurels to Maharashtra not only in India but all over the world. Dr Lata Deshmukh, Secretary of Matru Sewa Sangh, told ‘The Hitavada’, “Two child widows became a beacon for the society at a time when it was socially acceptable for widows and abandoned women to live a life full of grief, hardship and humiliation. At the age of 22 years after becoming a widow, she received nursing training from Dufferin Hospital (today’s Daga Hospital). It was a pre-independence period.

The chief superintendent of Daga Hospital was an English woman. Delivery/maternity facilities were common to all but special facilities were only for British women and specific women enslaving the Britishers. Once upon a time, a very poor, uneducated, weak, sick baby had no strength to go to the washroom. Kamalatai Hospet, who was training as a nurse, served and supported her.” A patriot at heart Kamalatai decided to live independently and decided to leave the Britisher's job. She expressed her determination to her friend. She went to the wealthy and well-educated women of that time for help. Mathurabai Dravid, Laxmibai Gadgil, Gangabai Gokhale, Laxmibai Kelkar, Dr Indirabai Niyogi, Dr Kamlakar Sitabai Gadgil, Parvatibai Karanjgaonkar and Dr Nanasaheb Krishna Mohani, Haribhau Krishna Mohani, Appasaheb Chitale, Dr N B Khare, Dr L V Paranjape, Dr Gayaprasad, Dr Hardas, Baburao Paturkar, Tapodhan Krishnarao Jajuji all these people stood behind her to help, guide and to work in the real field. And Matru Sewa Sangh Sitabuldi Maternity Home started.

“During 1920-21, deliveries were done in the home only. Many mothers were dying during the deliveries if some complications arise. Starting with the confidence that our organisation will work hard for safe delivery when poverty, superstition and ignorance were noticed. During these 10 days stay at the maternity home Kamalatai and Venutai were personally serving the women delivering babies were providing with food for bathing for days. They were staying in the Maternity Home only. The dedicated service by Kamalatai and Venutai was motivation for the doctors involved in delivery and they were again working more enthusiastically,” elaborated Dr Deshmukh. During 1821 to 1959, Matru Sewa Sangh started 20 branches of maternity homes in Maharashtra and outside Maharashtra. Wardha, Bhandara, Arvi, Jabalpur, Hinganghat, Armori, Brahmapuri, Bilaspur, Warora, Narsinghpur, Sagar, Chandur Railway, Kurha, Amravati, Devrukh (Ratnagiri), Akola, Kareli, Sonavadhona, Sitabuldi, Nagpur and Mahal, Nagpur, Since 1921 to the present, many children born in Matru Sewa Sangh Maternity Homes are in every corner of India and abroad too. Matru Sewa Sangh is of the period when maternal care, medical profession was considered as only a service. Kamalatai, Venutai were dedicated nurses and Dr Kamlakar, Dr Indirabai Niyogi were dedicated doctors.

Matru Sewa Sangh is an example of supernatural sacrifice and service to the nation since hundred years and shall be serving for the next hundred years. The nurses gave their entire lives to the Matru Sewa Sangh. These include Indutai Paranjape, Krishnatai Bhave, Malinibai Mahabal, Shantabai Dubey, Gopikabai Patwardhan, Kamalatai Vidwans, Godutai Kothiwale, Shantabai Lonakar, Nirubai Bhujade, Shantabai Sahasrabuddhe, Savitribai Nagdavai, Savitribai Nagdavane, Dr Dwarkabai Kamlakar, Dr Indirabai Niyogi, Dr Padmavati Thergaonkar, Dr Kamal Tare, Dr Kumud Deshpande, Dr Sumati Khare, Dr Malati Kurve, Dr Kamalabai Naralkar, Dr Vanita Chorghade, Dr Vatsala Karjagaonkar, Dr Kusumatai Wankar, Dr Durgabai Vazhalwar, Dr Kamal Joshi, Dr Prameel Asolkar, Dr Padmaja Risbud, Dr Chhaya Chaurasia, Dr Ratna Shekhawat had the only religion of Sewadharma, pointed out Dr Deshmukh. To run maternity homes, to educate nurses and midwives, to examine patients and provide pediatric related services, to run children education centres, to perform all kinds of health and educational work for the mentally and physically disabled, elderly, patients, men and women, to run libraries, to run educational institutes for the women, to help people in disaster, to work for the development and rehabilitation through education and health services are the broader objectives of the Matru Sewa Sangh, informed Dr Deshmukh. To fulfill these objectives, 20 maternity homes and the other 15 projects are in operation today.