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County Council might associate with a controversial foundation

County Council might associate with a controversial foundation


    



Objective


Tulcea County Council prepares to approve Wednesday the association with the foundation for the joint SERA Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre for Children with Disabilities Tulcea
Tumultuous past of a controversial foundations
Financial scandals public money
A combination hurry

Foundations of a tumultuous past controversial

SERA Foundation was founded by Francois de Combret in 1990, raising funds and helping abandoned children in Romania in various ways. Long time, SERA Foundation functioned as intermediary for international adoptions, until  the EU accession of Romania to stop this process.

By various spokesmen foundation SERA always ruled in favor of resuming international adoptions, pressing the Romanian authorities to facilitate this type of adoption. In support of his theories, the foundation often used false and inaccurate stories promoted, knowingly exaggerating both the number of children abandoned annually in Romania and conditions in which they live. In the process of decentralization of the child protection system, when attempting to quit mammoth orphanages and transition to the care of abandoned children as a "foster care" SERA Foundation organized a campaign in the French press, denigrate the child care system in Romania and further claiming that the best solution for abandoned children as international adoptions. The campaign was not only biased, but using photographic images made in the early '90s, no real connection with what is happening at the onset of the campaign. In fact, the founder of the foundation, Francois de Combret, was an adversary of the foster care system, arguing that instead of being paid so many foster parents, better children are allowed to go abroad, even if they are losing ago.


Financial scandals public money

 

A combination hurry


The association between Tulcea County - General Directorate of Social Assistance and Child Protection Foundation Tulcea SERA, even if done in terms of the law, we raise a question mark because of the foundation's troubled past. Although at first glance it seems extremely advantageous in terms of the county, the haste with which it is done is unnatural. Foundation proposes Council on 13 April 2011, a joint venture for the construction of a joint recovery and rehabilitation center, Asuman-go and bear costs up to a maximum of 250,000 euro and rushes County Council to approve this association on April 27, 2011. The basis for this decision was not - at least not among the documents accompanying the decision of the County Council - no opportunity study, no project and no cost estimate. It is true that, in theory, the foundation undertakes to bear the costs of construction, but only up to 250,000 euros, while Tulcea County provides not only land. But this is only theoretical. Basically, the County Council is harnessed to a work whose details are not known, and if the foundation feels hindered in any way to make the subject cotractului Association may require from CJ twice the amount spent. As we believe that the amount of 250,000 euros is not enough for building-tion and equipment recovery center, ask the County Council to postpone making a hasty decision, analyzing history properly so SERA Foundation, and the possible implications of an association with it, avoiding to leave drew a landlocked story under pretxtul of good deeds.Beyond hostility to the Romanian legislation and national strategy on child protection and adoption, SERA Foundation has been involved over time, and some smaller financial scandals or major. In February 2006, a business daily reported thought of ROL 36 billion (£ 3.6 million, approximately one million euros at the rate of time) from public funds of the Department for Child Protection County, the SERA was accused works as prices doubled using a co-contractor for the construction of buildings for Dolj CPD activity.
SERA against Roman rule

Debate emerged in the period 2002-2006 around international adoptions revealed that the Romanian state has lost track of more than 20,000 children adopted overseas, their fate is unknown. Much has been speculated that some children, especially those with various handicaps, was adopted only organ trafficking hypothesis, however, he remained a speculation, never proven. It is certain, however, that the fact that the fate of these children still remained unknown weighed greatly in maintaining the ban to allow adoptions abroad. Francois de Combret conducted a less-TERN lobby during 2004-2006, using the positions they occupy when in the interests of large French companies with major investments in Romania.


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Consiliul Judetean s-ar putea asocia cu o fundatie controversata

    

Consiliul Judetean Tulcea se pregateste sa aprobe miercuri asocierea cu fundatia SERA pentru realizarea in comun a Centrului de Recuperare si Reabilitare pentru Copilul cu Handicap Tulcea
Trecutul tumultuos al unei fundatii controversate
Scandaluri financiare pe bani publici
O asociere grabita

Trecut tumultuos al unei fundatii controversate
Fundatia SERA a fost infiintata de catre Francois de Combret in 1990, strangand fonduri si ajutand copii abandonati din Romania in diverse moduri. Multa vreme, Fundatia SERA a functionat si ca inter-mediar pentru adoptiile internationale, pana in momentul
in care aderarea la UE a Romaniei a oprit acest proces. Prin diversi purtatori de cuvant ai fundatiei, SERA s-a pronuntat mereu in favoarea reluarii adoptiilor internationale, presand autoritatile romane sa faciliteze acest gen de adoptii. In sprijinul teoriilor sale, fundatia a folosit deseori informatii false si a promovat stiri inexacte, exagerand cu buna stiinta atat numarul copiilor abandonati anual in Romania, cat si conditiile in care acestia traiesc. In plin proces de descentralizare a sistemului de protectie a copilului, cand se incerca renuntarea la orfelinatele mamut si trecerea la ingrijirea copiilor abandonati in sistem "foster care", Fundatia SERA a organizat o campanie in presa franceza, denigrand sistemul de asistenta a copilului din Romania si sustinand in continuare ca cea mai buna solutie pentru copiii abandonati ar fi adoptiile interna-tionale. Campania nu era doar tendentioasa, dar folosea imagini fotografice realizate la inceputul anilor '90, fara legatura reala cu ceea ce se intampla in momentul declansarii campaniei. De altfel, fondatorul fundatiei, Francois de Combret, a fost un adversar declarat al sistemului de asistenta maternala, sustinand ca in loc sa fie platiti atatia asistenti maternali, mai bine copiii sunt lasati sa plece in strainatate, chiar daca li se pierde urma.
SERA impotriva statului roman
Polemica iscata in perioada 2002-2006 in jurul adoptiilor internationale a scos la iveala faptul ca statul roman a pierdut urma a peste 20.000 de copii adoptati in strainatate, soarta acestora fiind necunoscuta. S-a speculat mult ca unii dintre copii, in special cei cu diverse handicapuri, ar fi fost adoptati doar pentru trafic de organe, ipoteza, insa, ce a ramas la stadiul de speculatie, nefiind niciodata dovedita. Cert este, insa, ca faptul ca soarta acestor copii a ramas in continuare necunoscuta a cantarit extrem de mult in mentinerea interdictiei de a se permite adoptiile in strainatate. Francois de Combreta desfasurat un pu-ternic lobby in perioada 2004-2006, folosindu-se de pozitiile pe care le ocupa atunci in cadrul unor mari companii franceze cu interese majore de investitii in Romania.
Scandaluri financiare pe bani publici
Dincolo de aceasta atitudine ostila legislatiei romanesti in vigoare si strategiei nationale privind protectia copilului si adoptiile, Fundatia SERA a mai fost implicata, de-a lungul timpului, si in unele scandaluri financiare de mai mica sau mare amploare. In februarie 2006, cotidianul Gandul relata o afacere de 36 de miliarde de lei vechi (3,6 milioane de lei noi, aproximativ 1.000.000 de euro la cursul BNR de atunci) din bani publici ai Directiei pentru Protectia Copilului Dolj, in care SERA era acuzata ca ar fi dublat preturile lucrarilor, folosind un co-contractor pentru construirea unor cladiri destinate activitatii DPC Dolj.
O asociere grabita
Asocierea dintre CJ Tulcea - Directia Generala de Asistenta Sociala si Protectia Copilului Tulcea si Fundatia SERA, chiar daca se face in termenii legii, ne ridica un semn de intrebare tocmai din cauza trecutului zbuciumat al fundatiei. Chiar daca la prima vedere totul pare extrem de avantajos din punct de vedere al judetului, graba cu care se realizeaza totul este nefireasca. Fundatia propune Consiliului, in 13 aprilie 2011, o asociere in vederea construirii in comun a unui centru de recuperare si reabilitare, asuman-du-si sa suporte costuri de pana la 250.000 de euro maxim, iar Consiliul Judetean se grabeste sa aprobe aceasta asociere pe data de 27 aprilie 2011. La baza acestei hotarari nu se afla - sau cel putin nu se afla printre actele ce insotesc hotararea de Consiliu Judetean - niciun studiu de oportunitate, niciun proiect si nicio estimare a costurilor. E drept ca, teoretic, fundatia isi asuma sa suporte costurile constructiei, dar numai in limita a 250.000 de euro, in timp ce CJ Tulcea nu pune la dispozitie decat terenul. Dar asta este doar teoretic. Practic, Consiliul Judetean se inhama la o lucrare ale carei detalii nu le cunoaste, iar daca fundatia se simte impiedicata in vreun fel sa realizeze obiectul cotractului de asociere poate cere de la CJ dublul sumei cheltuite. Cum noi consideram ca suma de 250.000 de euro este insuficienta pentru constru-irea si dotarea centrului de recuperare, solicitam Consiliului Judetean sa amane luarea unei hotarari pripite, analizand cum se cuvine atat istoricul Fundatiei SERA, cat si posibilele implicatii ale unei asocieri cu aceasta, evitand astfel sa se lase atras intr-o poveste fara iesire, sub pretxtul unor fapte bune.

 

USAID helps child adoption reform in Vietnam

Updated : 4/27/2011 3:20:00 PM

USAID helps child adoption reform in Vietnam

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has granted US$300,000 to UNICEF in Vietnam to support the programme “strengthening legislation and monitoring systems for child adoption” in the nation from now until 2013.

The USAID grant will contribute to the improvement of the current legal and regulatory framework to ensure its compliance with international standards to better protect children without parental care through the development and implementation of national legislation and policies on domestic and inter-country adoption, and the ratification of the Hague Convention.

In addition, the grant will support setting up a national monitoring system for child adoption and building the capacity of policy makers, welfare and enforcement personnel to better protect children.

USAID helps child adoption reform in Vietnam

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has granted 300,000 USD to UNICEF in Vietnam to support the programme “strengthening legislation and monitoring systems for child adoption” in the nation from now until 2013.


The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hasgranted 300,000 USD to UNICEF in Vietnam to support the programme“strengthening legislation and monitoring systems for child adoption” inthe nation from now until 2013.

The USAID grant will contributeto the improvement of the current legal and regulatory framework toensure its compliance with international standards to better protectchildren without parental care through the development andimplementation of national legislation and policies on domestic andinter-country adoption, and the ratification of the Hague Convention.

Inaddition, the grant will support setting up a national monitoringsystem for child adoption and building the capacity of policy makers,welfare and enforcement personnel to better protect children.

Itwill also help improve protection and care for children deprived ofparental care through the promulgation of new policies, guidelines andstandards on alternative care, and pilot the implementation of newalternative care models, including foster care, and inter-countryadoption programmes for children with special needs.

UNICEFVietnam Representative Lotta Sylwander said, “We applaud the Governmentof Vietnam for its strong commitments in improving child adoption andhighly appreciate the timely financial support from USAID and otherinternational partners to UNICEF.”

She also said UNICEF wasstrongly committed to support the Government to establish comprehensivechild protection systems, including the development of efficientalternative care and child adoption systems for children in need ofspecial protection./.

Rethink of adoption ban gives new hope to Romanian orphans

CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | 26.04.2011

Rethink of adoption ban gives new hope to Romanian orphans

 

Many Romanian children found new homes in the west before instances of child trafficking led to a ban on international adoption. With claims that many children have lost out as a result, some are calling for a rethink.

 

 

When Romania's Communist autocracy was toppled from power more than two decades ago, the plight of the children living under state care in the country shocked the world.

Television scenes of children left bereft of any form of love or attention proved heartbreaking and many western families were keen to adopt.

Baroness Emma NicholsonBaroness Nicholson claims there were many examples of trafficking and abuseWhile those intentions were good, the system was also shown to have been exploited by child trafficking groups. As conditions in children's homes generally began to improve, the practice of international adoption from Romania came under a moratorium in 2001.

Legislation to cement the ban in law was put into place following pressure from the EU. Former member of the European Parliament, Baroness Emma Nicholson was a key figure in pushing for this as a special rapporteur for Romania's EU accession.

"I unveiled a huge network of global corruption and global trafficking," said Nicholson. "We really uncovered horrors of a scale and dimension you would wish never to know about."

"I'll give you the example of a poor Romanian boy, who was trafficked to London, on a false passport. From London they changed his passport again and he was trafficked to America, on a false passport."

The handing over of a 500 euro noteCorruption remains a central theme in the debate"Uncovering that (trafficking) ring, uncovered one of the biggest pedophile rings in the globe. That boy has never been seen again."

'Children missing out'

However, there are those - such as the Romanian campaign group Catharsis - that believe an outright moratorium was an overreaction. The group is a leading a campaign to resume international adoptions and cites numerous cases where children have missed out on loving homes as a result of the ban.

Madalina grew up in a children's home from the age of two, where she suffered serious abuse. Catharsis found Madalina an adoptive family in Italy, to whom she herself said she became very attached. Unfortunately, the timing was wrong. Mandalina was a victim of the moratorium on international adoptions and the move was blocked.

Madalina, sitting on a bench aloneMadalina lost out on her chance of a new home in Italy"They asked if I'd like to be adopted by them, and I said yes," said Mandalina. "Only, then we found out that international adoptions had been blocked. It felt terrible for all of us."

A life on the streets, or worse

Once the children leave full-time education, those who have not been adopted often end up in homeless shelters - such as Marius.

"It's a shame they stopped international adoptions," said Marius. "There are many, many kids in children's homes and they have no future. Most of them either die of hunger on the streets or they're in prison."

Azota Popescu from Catharsis argues that it is time to change the law, as the issue comes up for debate in the Romanian parliament. She denies the claim by Baroness Nicholson, and organizations such as the group Against Child Trafficking, that corruption is too rife in Romania for the system to be trusted to prevent trafficking. 

"There is no corruption in Romania in the domain of adoptions," Popescu told Deutsche Welle. "If Emma Nicholson has an example of corruption, she should show us, to present it to everyone."

Author: Tom Wilson, Brasov, Romania / rc
Editor: Rob Turner

One million USD for taking care child adoption in Vietnam

One million USD for taking care child adoption in Vietnam

14:30 | 25/04/2011

Photo for illustration. (Source: Internet)

CPV: "The US Agency for International Development is contributing 300,000 USD to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) program to help officials create regulations meeting international standards covering child adoption in Vietnam", said the US Embassy to Hanoi on April 25.

Developed in close cooperation with Vietnam’s Ministry of Justice and other relevant authorities, the “Strengthening legislation and monitoring systems for child adoption” program will assist in improving the legal and regulatory framework to better protect children without parental care by developing and implementing national legislation and policies on domestic and inter-country adoption.

Adoption a commercial deal in India: Plea in SC

Adoption a commercial deal in India: Plea in SC
 
Krishnadas Rajagopal Tags : Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), Child adoption process, Padma Shri winner Nomita Chandy, AshrayaPosted: Fri Apr 22 2011, 02:10 hrs New Delhi:
 
Child adoption process in the country came under the Supreme Court’s scrutiny on Thursday with the court demanding an explanation from the Ministry of Women and Child Development and the government’s Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) on the charge that adoption of babies has become nothing more than a “commercial transaction” involving private placement agencies.
 
A three-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia, issued notices to the government and CARA to explain why adopting parents are made to wait for months, entangled in “reams of red-tape”, and foreign parents find it easier to adopt than their Indian counterparts.
 
The CARA has “failed on every count” to monitor and regulate placement agencies, contends the petition filed by 2011 Padma Shri winner Nomita Chandy’s adoption agency Ashraya.
 
“Total apathy and corruption of the respondents (ministry and CARA) has led to the adoption process being reduced to a farce, and empowering opaque state-run children’s homes and criminal private individuals to play with the lives of adoptable children and adopting parents, very often reducing the solemn process of adoption to a commercial transaction involving little babies,” stated the petition argued by senior advocate K K Venugopal.

Geadopteerde Libanese kinderen slaken noodkreet

  Geadopteerde Libanese kinderen slaken noodkreet

Verslag: Marc Schrikkema  Redactie: Josefin Hoenders 

In 1975 kregen twee Libanese baby's de oerhollandse namen Steven Sonneveld en David-Jan Baan en werden ze ter adoptie afgestaan aan echtparen in Nederland.
De burgeroorlog in Libanon was net begonnen en een stroom van vaak illegale adopties kwam op gang. Duizenden Libanese kinderen werden wereldwijd geadopteerd. Maar liefst 400 Libanese kinderen kwamen in Nederland terecht, veelal door bemiddeling van het domineesechtpaar Ibrahim en Adla Chemayel.


Nu, ruim 35 jaar later, zitten Steven en David-Jan met vele vragen over hun herkomst. Doordat de kinderen bij hun geboorte in het ziekenhuis al Nederlandse namen kregen en de identiteit van de biologische moeders nergens werd vastgelegd is het terugvinden van zelfs maar een de vrouwen vrijwel onmogelijk.
Onlangs richtten Steven en David-Jan de stichting Children of the Cedars op, in de hoop op die manier meer druk op de Libanese overheid te kunnen uitoefenen hen in hun zoektocht bij te staan. Als ook maar een van de 400 moeders gevonden wordt, dan is hun missie geslaagd. EenVandaag volgde Steven en David-Jan bij hun pogingen meer duidelijkheid te krijgen over hun verleden, in de hoop de toekomst vrijer tegemoet te gaan.

‘I was made to give my baby away’

‘I was made to give my baby away’

Seema Shinde tried to commit suicide on Tuesday. She says her in-laws rejected her as she was of lower caste, her husband tricked her into giving baby to adoption centre

 

Nadeem Inamdar
     

 

Posted On Thursday, April 21, 2011 at 01:41:15 AM

 

 

Seema and Prashant at their wedding in Alandi

Around 7.30 pm on Tuesday, when Seema Devidas Shinde stood contemplating the dark waters of the river Pavana over the railing of the M M Vidyamandir bridge near Kalewadi in Chinchwad, there seemed little else to do, except jump. A few minutes ago, her husband Prashant had categorically told her that their marriage was unacceptable to his parents as she belonged to a lower caste. She had already given her four-month-old baby to an adoption centre.

Happily, Seema’s depths of despair didn’t find the river’s rocky bottom, thanks to the timely intervention of an alert bystander. Her rescuer then took her to the Kalewadi police chowky, where yet another ugly episode of the silent battle of the castes was recorded in the station diary.

Sometime in 2009, Seema told police, she met Prashant Kadam at the private educational institute for young children where she was working as a teacher, and Prashant was posted as store keeper. They soon fell in love, and the intimacy developed into a physical relationship. She was seven months pregnant when their marriage took place in Alandi on November 7, 2010. Her baby, a girl, was born on December 26 that year in a Bhosari hospital. 

“When our baby was born, Prashant told me that he would take me home on the condition that I deposited the baby with an adoption centre. I trusted him and gave the baby to Nachiket Balgram in Akurdi. However, Prashant did not keep his promise. 

On Tuesday, I met him at the bridge and told that I will commit suicide. He was unfazed, and said his family would never accept me as their daughter-in-law. I could not bear to take his words, and decided to end my life. What could I do? I had given my baby to the adoption centre for my husband’s sake,” Seema told Pune Mirror after recording her statement with the police.

That evening on the bridge, Seema says she flatly told him to stop playing with her emotions and take her home. Prashant refused, she claimed, saying it was impossible as they belonged to different castes. She added that prior to this, Prashant had refused to take her home on several occasions, citing pressure from his parents. 

“Prashant said I was unwanted in his house since I am from the Mahar community. His parents assaulted and abused me and don’t want me to stay with them,” Seema told Mirror. In her written statement to Kalewadi police, Seema claimed she had gone to meet her in-laws twice, but was assaulted and driven out of the house by Prashant’s mother and sister.

Sachin Phulsundar
Seema Shinde’s statement being recorded in the presence of activists on Wednesday

After avoiding several calls, Prashant finally spoke to Mirror. “I did not place any such condition that the baby should be deposited at the adoption centre. The girl’s parents had demanded Rs 1 lakh for settling the dispute. They have complained against me to police because I did not give them money. I have not uttered casteist comments against her. Right now, I am not in a position to speak as I am hurt by the allegations levelled against me by her family and their supporters,” he said.

Seema was brought to the Kalewadi police chowky on Wednesday afternoon by local Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) activists. The activists demanded that Prashant be booked under the Atrocities Act and arrested. However, police inspector (Crime) Bhagwat Sonawane of Chinchwad PS said the police wanted to try for an amicable end to the dispute, as it was a family matter.

However, her baby is still hers, and she can take succour from that fact. “I can take my child back as officials have kept that option open,” Seema said, a barely perceptible smile on her lips.

?   I did not place any condition that the baby should be deposited at the adoption centre. The girl’s parents had demanded Rs 1 lakh for settling the dispute. I have not uttered casteist 
comments against her

- Prashant Kadam Husband

 ?   My husband Prashant said I was unwanted in his house as I am from the dalit community. His parents assaulted and abused me and don’t want me to stay with them

Divorced in India, reunited in Zedelgem

They were best friends in an orphanage in India. Until they were both adopted and separated from each other. By an unlikely coincidence, Teena (6) and Wine (5) are now reunited in Zedelgem, West Flanders. They live one kilometer apart and go to the same school. "Teena and Wine are like sisters to each other."

The touching reunion happened about three years ago. The two girls saw each other on the playground of their school in Zedelgem. Immediately the recognition was there, and they fell into each other's arms. According to their adoptive parents, there was "a spark of recognition" between Teena Kyndt and Wine Dierick: the feeling that they had known each other from birth. meetingThe coincidence became even greater when their adoptive parents turned out to be friends. They live a kilometer apart in Zedelgem and got to know each other during the long adoption procedure - both couples wanted a child from India through De Vreugdezaaders. Teena (now 6) came to Belgium in September 2007 and went to live with one couple, Wine (5) followed in March 2008 and got a home with the other couple. No one in Belgium had any idea of ??the special bond between the two girls who were best friends at the orphanage in Calcutta. Until that meeting on their school playground. Hilde, Wine's mother: 'Teena is six months older than Wine, and she remembered very well the name of her best friend.' language problem'The children didn't have to get used to each other at all. They just picked up the thread they had lost a year before," says Bart, Teena's dad. The two girls did have a practical problem. Bart: 'Teena already spoke Dutch and Wine only Bengali. But they understood each other without words. You really saw that there was already a strong bond between those two.' Since the unlikely reunion, the two have been like sisters to each other, Teena's mom Conny says. 'Exactly magnets. Other children can play on the playground, but they belong together. They are always very sweet and caring for each other.' princessesWhy Teena is so important to Wine? "Because she's from my country," says the youngest. "Wine comes to sleep with us every now and then," Teena adds. 'We are friends, forever and ever. We also dance together.' That's right: every week the girls in Zedelgem take dance lessons together. Promptly they show their skills to a tune from K3. According to their parents, the children have a lot in common. For starters, they have energy for four - duracellekes , Papa Bart calls them laughing. "They both love dancing, gymnastics and ballet," he says. "It's two nimble ladies."During the conversation, the girls switch princess costumes a few times. 'That fondling with princesses is of course typical at that age', says Bart, 'but it is still striking how proud they behave. Indian women dress very striking and colorful, wear beautiful bracelets and jewelry. Wine and Teena like nothing better than to walk around dressed up. They weren't even four when they wanted earrings.' Sister NyssaCan Teena and Wine remember anything about the orphanage where their close bond grew? “That Sister Nyssa didn't let us cry,” Teena says. But according to her mother, she heard that. 'After six months, young adopted children have forgotten everything about their former environment. The new experiences here are also so overwhelming. What Teena does know, she has from photographs.' It is certain that the Indian girls will forever remain two hands on one stomach. 'Next year they can choose who they are in the class with, and then they will undoubtedly choose each other', says mom Conny.

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Human traffickers sell children to paedophiles (Germany, Haiti)

Human traffickers sell children to paedophiles

Published: 15 Apr 11 10:29 CET

Online: http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110415-34415.html

Share An international band human traffickers has been caught smuggling children to Germany from Haiti and beyond, then selling them to paedophiles, officials said Friday. The group allegedly posed as an aid organisation, luring the children with promises of a better life.

Frédéric Prinz von Anhalt and Zsa Zsa Gabor want a baby (15 Apr 11)