Sex-obsessed culture, lack of social services blamed for rise in human trafficking at Fort Worth

Sex-obsessed culture, lack of social services blamed for rise in human trafficking at Fort Worth forum

12:00 AM CDT on Friday, May 21, 2010

By JASON TRAHAN / The Dallas Morning News

jtrahan@dallasnews.com

FORT WORTH – An increasingly sexualized consumer society and inadequate funding for social services are major reasons why more young girls are being pressed into sexual slavery, a human-trafficking expert told a Fort Worth audience Thursday.

Countries: United States of America

As Profitable as the Drug Trade

05/21/2010

As Profitable as the Drug Trade

China's Child-Trafficking Epidemic

By Andreas Lorenz in Beijing

Countries: China

Ombudsman says foreign adoptions suspended

21.05.2010, 04.04

NALCHIK, May 21 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian ombudsman for children’s rights Pavel Astakhov confirmed on Thursday that foreign adoptions had been suspended in the country until bilateral agreements are signed to protect the children.

“Foreign adoption of Russian children has been de-facto suspended,” he told reporters, adding de-jure decision has not been passed so far.

“According to the Family Code, foreign adoption is a temporary and exclusive measure related to children who cannot be adopted in Russia which is allowed only on the basis of bilateral international agreements,” Astakhov said adding such an agreement with the United States would resolve the legal adoption collision.

“Otherwise over 70 thousand earlier adopted children in the United States will be outlawed,” he said.

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=15148629&PageNum=0

Countries: Russia, United States of America

David Furnish had no adoption age concerns

Sir Elton John and David Furnish didn't even think about their respective ages when they tried to adopt a Ukrainian orphan last year, which was ultimately rejected because Elton was deemed too old.

Posted : Fri, 21 May 2010 08:38:35 GMT

By : Bang Media

Category : Entertainment

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Sir Elton John and David Furnish didn't even think about their respective ages when they tried to adopt a Ukrainian orphan last year, which was ultimately rejected because Elton was deemed too old.

David Furnish has revealed he and Sir Elton John never thought the singer's age would stop them from adopting.

The Canadian filmmaker and his musician husband tried to give a home to HIV-positive Ukrainian child Lev last year, but were rejected because Elton, at 63, was deemed too old and because of their gay marriage.

Speaking at the Butterfly Ball in London's Battersea Park, David told BANG Showbiz: "We did take age into consideration but we are both like teenagers anyway so it wasn't an issue for us."

Although Ukrainian law stopped them from becoming parents, the 47-year-old star has revealed the couple will try again.

He said: "We were both just so heartbroken by what happened last year, we just want to have a break and enjoy the summer."

David insists he and Elton will look at adopting from other countries but admits it is difficult for gay couples all over the world, even in the UK.

He said: "It's very difficult even in Britain. I think we are going to look at different places in the future, but not for now."

The star-studded Butterfly Ball, which was held in to raise money for the Caudwell Children charity, was also attended by Elizabeth Hurley, Peter Andre, Dame Shirley Bassey, Lulu, Sarah Ferguson - the Duchess of York and Princess Beatrice.

The charity supports children with over 300 different conditions.

Copyright, respective author or news agency

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

Countries: United States of America, Canada, Ukraine

Persons: Elton John

Adoption agencies to be struck off for ‘wrongdoing’

Sunday, May 23, 2010 Previous editions

Ireland: Dry with mostly clear blue skies and lot »

Adoption agencies to be struck off for ‘wrongdoing’
By Conall O Fátharta

Friday, May 21, 2010

ANY adoption agency which engages in illegal practices should be de-registered and if necessary the case referred to An Garda Síochána, the chairman of the Adoption Board has said.

The issue of illegal adoptions was raised with Geoffrey Shannon following the Irish Examiner’s investigation into the case of Tressa Reeves, whose son was illegally adopted and falsely registered as the natural child of the adoptive parents. This was facilitated by St Patrick’s Guild adoption agency, which remains fully accredited by the Adoption Board, despite the board being aware of the case since 2001.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time, chairman of the Adoption Board Geoffrey Shannon gave a personal guarantee that any such cases would be investigated and if necessary referred to the relevant authorities.

"I don’t want to become involved in discussing individual cases, but what I am saying is, if anybody has concerns in relation to their individual case, that I am giving a guarantee that their case or cases will be immediately drawn to the attention of the Adoption Board and if there are any concerns emerging from an examination of that case that warrants referral to the gardaí, to the General Register Office or any other statutory body that will happen as a matter of priority," he said.

Mr Shannon said he would recommend to the Adoption Board to de-register agencies engaged in wrongdoing.

"We will do what we can do within the powers laid down in the Adoption Acts. We will have much greater enhanced powers under the forthcoming adoption legislation and hopefully we will be in a better position to provide answers.

"The board has at its disposal the power to de-register an adoption society... it would be my recommendation to the board where wrongdoing has been found on the part of an adoption society, that the board... de-register the adoption society," he said.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, May 21, 2010

The issue of illegal adoptions was raised with Geoffrey Shannon following the Irish Examiner’s investigation into the case of Tressa Reeves, whose son was illegally adopted and falsely registered as the natural child of the adoptive parents. This was facilitated by St Patrick’s Guild adoption agency, which remains fully accredited by the Adoption Board, despite the board being aware of the case since 2001.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time, chairman of the Adoption Board Geoffrey Shannon gave a personal guarantee that any such cases would be investigated and if necessary referred to the relevant authorities.

"I don’t want to become involved in discussing individual cases, but what I am saying is, if anybody has concerns in relation to their individual case, that I am giving a guarantee that their case or cases will be immediately drawn to the attention of the Adoption Board and if there are any concerns emerging from an examination of that case that warrants referral to the gardaí, to the General Register Office or any other statutory body that will happen as a matter of priority," he said.

Mr Shannon said he would recommend to the Adoption Board to de-register agencies engaged in wrongdoing.

"We will do what we can do within the powers laid down in the Adoption Acts. We will have much greater enhanced powers under the forthcoming adoption legislation and hopefully we will be in a better position to provide answers.

"The board has at its disposal the power to de-register an adoption society... it would be my recommendation to the board where wrongdoing has been found on the part of an adoption society, that the board... de-register the adoption society," he said.

This story appeared in the printed version of the Irish Examiner Friday, May 21, 2010

Countries: Ireland

Organizations: St Patrick´s Guild, Irish Adoption Board, Ireland

Delegatie din Marea Britanie la Consiliul Judetean

Delegatie din Marea Britanie la Consiliul Judetean

          Vineri, 21 mai 2010, Presedintele Consiliului Judetean a primit vizita delegatiei din Marea Britanie care reprezinta Fundatia ARK, unul din principalii finantatori internationali in domeniul protectiei copilului. La intilnire au participat dl Stefan Darabus, director HHC Romania si d-na Maria Griguta, director economic la DPC Maramures.

          Dl Stefan Darabus a prezentat pe scurt activitatea fundatiei si colaborarea cu ARK, care desfasoara de doi ani in Romania proiecte impreuna cu HHC si este o prezenta binecunoscuta in peisajul organizatiilor care lucreaza in actiuni de caritate. Radya Ebrahim si Laura Parker au apreciat colaborarea pe care au avut-o pina acum cu HHC Romania si au exprimat dorinta de a continua la acelasi nivel, bazindu-se pe profesionalismul si experienta fundatiei maramuresene. “Cu toate ca pina acum colaborarea cu HHC a fost una de exceptie, avem nevoie si de un sprijin din partea institutiilor romanesti. Nu putem sa ajutam daca cei care sint adevaratii beneficiari nu se lasa ajutati sau daca ei nu inteleg faptul ca tinerii si copiii institutionalizati au nevoie de alte modele, mult mai apropiate de mediul familial. Este ceea ce propunem noi si ceea ce functioneaza peste tot in lume, iar Maramuresul ar putea devein in scurt timp un model national de inchidere a caselor de copii si de transformare a acestora in case de tip familial”.

          La randul lui, presedintele Consiliului Judetean a mentionat faptul ca acesta este un aspect care il intereseaza in mod special si ca isi va da tot sprijinul pentru ca lucrurile sa mearga pe fagasul normal. “Eu va asigur de faptul ca voi face tot ce tine de mine pentru ca acestor copii sa le fie mai bine; doresc , din tot sufletul, ca ei sa nu mai constituie o problema si ca ei sa nu mai aiba probleme in ceea ce priveste integrarea lor in viata si societate. Va multumesc pentru tot ce faceti pentru noi si va asigur ca, mereu, usa mea va e deschisa, la fel ca si portile maramuresene. Si as vrea sa nu uitati ca in spatele acestor porti sint suflete!”

Biroul de pres?
Cabinet pre?edinte

Persons: Laura Parker

Organizations: Hope & Homes for Children

Scarlett Johansson's Mom Adopts a Baby Girl

May 19, 2010

Scarlett Johansson's mom, Melanie Sloan, has adopted a baby girl from Ethiopia, a source tells UsMagazine.com.Sloan missed her daughter's Iron Man 2 premiere because she was en route to the African country to pick up her daughter, Fenan, who is 19 to 20 months old. (Johansson also has a older brother, Adrian, a twin brother, Hunter, and an older half-brother, Christian, from her father's first marriage.)

Sloan was stranded in Germany for several days while traveling to Ethiopia because of the volcano ash cloud."The volcano put the whole adoption process in jeopardy due to time constraints," a source tells Us. "But it worked out in the end."

A rep for Johansson, 25, had no comment. The actress and husband Ryan Reynolds, 33, may soon be following in Sloan's footsteps.

PHOTOS: Can you believe Scarlett and Ryan's (and other couples') age differences?"I have every intention of adopting at some time," Reynolds -- whose older brother is adopted -- told UK Glamour last summer. "I'm very grateful for having my brother in my life. I couldn't be more pro-adoption. There are plenty of kids in the world that need it."

http://m.usmag.com/v/CelebNews/ScarlettJohanssonsMo/?KSID=25cfd02fa06e5d4896f15ff22766f6c0

Countries: United States of America, Ethiopia

Adoption struggle: One woman's emotional road

Reported by: Kristin Lowman
Email: kristinlowman@fox23news.com
Videographer: B. Sanders
Editor: B. Sanders
Last Update: 4:22 am

Video 1 of 1

Adoption Struggles

Adoption Struggle

To most, it would appear one local business owner had it all; a successful spa, great friends and family. But one thing was missing from Anita Hug's life -- a child of her own.

Her journey took her overseas to adopt, and she overcame major obstacles to find the love of her life.

Watching Anita and Phiza Hug, they look like any other mother and daughter, but it wasn't always this way.

Anita Hug said, "She wasn't eating for me, sleeping for me, her eyes were dead. There was just no life to her."

It's been seven months since Anita brought Phiza to the U.S. from India. But getting Phiza home wasn't easy. Anita's intercountry adoption was like a roller coaster.

When asked if she thought at some point she wouldn't bring her home, Hug answered, "Yes, I remember calling and thinking I had been robbed of $30,000."

$30,000 was the amount of the loan Anita took out for the process.

Thousands for the adoption itself-- thousands more for the paperwork.

Some forms were hundreds of dollars each and the home studies took months.

Anita's search for a child started in Guatamala, but when the adoption was being finalized adoptions in the country shut down.

Which brought Anita to India and to Phiza.

Photos started coming to the U.S. and Anita finally saw her daughter.

Then another disaster when the Indian orphanage lost it's license. Adoptions were put on hold until the facility was reinstated.

Hug said, "I got to the point where I was holding a picture of a child I thought would never be mine."

After more than a year of waiting and more pictures, Anita finally went to India to pick up her daughter. Thats when another battle began.

Hug said, "Uou wait your whole life for this moment and she wouldn't hug me. I would walk into the room and scream and cry. I thought I made the biggest mistake of my life and thought what have I done."

But slowly Phiza came around. Now, the child who wasn't allowed outside and survived on bananas and water, smiles, laughs, openly gives kisses.

She's learned English in only a few months, picked up on American culture, while her mom realizes all of those hardships were worth it.

Hug said, "I was meant to have her. She was supposed to be with me. These kids need homes and its hard to know they could be there until someone has the courage to do it. I'm lucky to have her. I thank God every day."

For more information on International adoptions or intercountry adoption visit http://adoption.state.gov/adoption.homepage.html

For adopting in New York State visit http://www.ocfs.state.ny.us/adopt/.

http://www.fox23news.com/news/local/story/Adoption-struggle-One-womans-emotional-road/aD6RycWScUmjmArHDxAr4A.cspx

Countries: India, United States of America, Guatemala

Inter-Service meeting on Intercountry Adoptions

See invitation Patrizia de Luca

http://www.asktheeu.org/en/request/420/response/1316/attach/html/3/4590.pdf.html

Persons: Salla Saastamoinen, Patrizia de Luca, Jonathan Faull, Catherine Day

Organizations: TIMELINE WHISTLEBLOWER ROELIE POST, Acquis Communautaire, UNCRC acquis or not?, UN Committee: Opinion on Romanian adoptions, European Commission, Lobby for a European Adoption Policy/cross-border adoption, Falsified Report DG JUST - Frattini Report

HHC Romania vrea sa renunte la Maramures pentru ca nu sunt sprijiniti de Directia Copilului

HHC Romania vrea sa renunte la Maramures pentru ca nu sunt sprijiniti de Directia Copilului

Scris de Lia Bradeanu, 20 Mai 2010« ?tirea precedent? | Înapoi la index | ?tirea urm?toare »

In doi ani, fundatia a reusit sa ajute peste 900 de copii institutionalizati

Joi, Fundatia Hope and Homes for Children Romania a trecut in revista rezultatele pe care le-au obtinut in urma derularii programelor in judetul nostru de acest ONG in ultimii doi ani. La conferinta de presa organizata cu acest prilej au fost prezenti, pe langa reprezentantii mass-media si Stefan Darabus, director national HHC Romania, Delia Pop, director programe HHC, Sue Rooke, director resurse, Laura Parker, director programe Absolut Return for Kids, precum si Radya Ebrahim, director de monitorizare, toti din Marea Britanie.

Cunoastem foarte bine situatia de dupa anii ‘89 cand Romania era cunoscuta in strainatate doar din aspecte negative. Printre acestea se numarau institutiile mamut care aveau in grija copii abandonati sau orfani. Treptat, lucrurile s-au schimbat, iar Fundatia HHC Romania, sprijinita de UK, a reusit de-a lungul anilor sa desfiinteze aceste institutii si sa ofere copiilor un spatiu adecvat prin serviciile alternative, precum case de tip familial si altele. Din pacate, insa, din cauza lipsei de interes a Directiei Generale de Asistenta Sociala si protectia Copilului Maramures, iata ca acest ONG, care este un model de bune practici la nivel international datorita activitatii desfasurate pe acest segment, ia in calcul serios alternativa de a-si suspenda activitatea momentan in judetul nostru.

“Am reusit sa inchidem Centrul Delavrancea, unde erau 87 de copii, care au ajuns fie inapoi in familii, fie in asistenta maternala sau au fost integrati social, in special cei care au implinit varsta la care au trebuit sa se descurce pe cont propriu. La fel s-a intamplat si la Ocna Sugatag, unde au fost 84 de copii carora am incercat sa oferim un climat sanatos in care sa creasca. Dorinta noastra a fost sa inchidem toate institutiile de acest gen din judet. Dar a mai ramas Centrul de Plasament din Sighet. Nu stim daca vom face acest lucru, pentru ca la ora actuala nu suntem convinsi ca exista dorinta aceasta din partea DGASPC. Noi nu dorim sa continuam munca pe care am depus-o pana in prezent avand in vedere ca am dus tot greul in spate in momentul in care am inchis cele doua centre. Evaluarile sociale, psihologice pe care trebuiau sa le faca acestia au fost neglijate si acest lucru a fost la urma urmei in detrimentul copiilor, care nu au inteles ca le dorim binele. Asa ca ne gandim la o stopare a activitatilor avand in vedere ca sunt cinci judete care doresc sa lucreze cu noi in cel mai scurt timp”, a punctat Stefan Darabus.

Din pacate, cei care au avut de suferit din cauza neglijentei angajatilor care lucreaza in sistemul de stat au fost copiii. Au fost despartiti frati, desi acestia locuiau impreuna de mai multi ani la o casa din Sighet.

Companiile se implica in ajutorarea familiilor aflate in dificultate

Trecand peste aceste probleme, conducerea HHC a amintit faptul ca unele companii au inceput sa aprecieze munca pe care o desfasoara cu profesionalism, asa ca nu intarzie sa ii sprijine financiar.

“Ne bucuram ca am primit o donatie de 600 de milioane lei vechi de la Romstal, sub forma de gresie, faianta, obiecte sanitare, pe care le vom pune in casele pe care le construim, dar si in serviciile existente acolo unde vom face renovari. In Cavnic avem un caz unde ne straduim sa nu se separe copiii de familie, asa ca vom construi o casa cu sprijinul Primariei. De asemenea, Help Alliance Lutfhansa au dat primii 25.000 de euro pe proiectul de inchidere a Centrului de plasament a copiilor cu deficiente severe din Onesti. S-au angajat oficial sa ne sprijine, iar pana in prezent au mai dat 25.000 de euro pentru preventii si reintegrari, pe dezvoltare de servicii in Maramures. Vodafone ne-a dat o finantare de 35.000 de euro pe un an pentru programul de prevenire a separarii copilului de familie. Nu putem decat sa le multumim tuturor pentru ca au incredere in noi si mai ales ca ajuta familiile care se afla in dificultate”, a mai adaugat interlocutorul nostru.

*****

In doi ani, HHC Romania a reusit in Maramures sa ajute peste 900 de copii institutionalizati. Ne gandim ce se va intampla pe viitor, avand in vedere ca acestia se gandesc serios sa stopeze activitatea in judetul nostru si sa se focalizeze acolo unde colaborarea cu Directia Copilului este foarte buna. Insa in continuare va creste numarul familiilor care vor avea nevoie de sprijin pentru a reusi sa isi creasca copiii.

Countries: Romania

Organizations: Absolute Return for Kids (ARK), Hope & Homes for Children

Persons: Laura Parker