On September 20th, Leiden University Child Law Department hosted a public lecture and Q&A session with Ms. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio UN Special Rapporteur on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography, Mr. Nigel Cantwell, international expert consultant, and Prof. David Smolin on the sale of children and Illegal adoption. The public lecture was chaired by Prof. Ton Liefaard.
The discussion addressed the mandate of the special rapporteur in relation to illegal adoption, and focused on the systemic problems surrounding intercountry adoption, the responsibilities of ‘’receiving’’ and ‘’sending’’ states, and the need to combat illicit adoption practices that violate children’s rights.
The lecture was attended by students from Leiden’s International Children’s Rights advanced master, the Dutch Child law master program, as well as by representatives of leading children’s rights NGO’s committed to the cause of combatting illegal adoption practices, including Terre de Hommes, Defence for Children and PLAN International.