TOLL FREE HOTLINE FOR ROMANIAN ORPHANS – INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIVE PARENTS EXPRESS OUTRAGE
TOLL FREE HOTLINE FOR ROMANIAN ORPHANS –
INTERNATIONAL ADOPTIVE PARENTS EXPRESS OUTRAGE
Stamford, CT – June 6, 2004 – Thousands of international parents of
children adopted from Romania expressed their outrage today at the
announcement on June 1st of the establishment of a toll-free hotline
by the Romanian government, whereby Romanian orphaned children in
institutions may call to complain about their rights being breached
(0800.8.200.200) to "The "Children's Voice Association", a Romanian
government-funded organization in partnership with the Romanian
Child Protection office and funded by the European Union.
Adoptive parents from Spain, France, Switzerland, Ireland, England,
Italy, and the U.S. expressed their anger and incredulousness at
the toll-free hotline initiative.
"While we support any reasonable and effective method of improving
the lives of Romania's orphans, this project is ludicrous and a
waste of European Union funds.
These children don't need a hotline - they need love, care and a
permanent family." Said Marco Griffini of Italy. "Institutionalized
children are ignorant of what their "rights" are and do not know
that it is not normal to be hungry, to be cold, to be exposed to
every manner of abuse and disease imaginable, to be without hope.
The role of a civilized society is to protect it's children and
provide for their needs, not to close your eyes to their plight,
while pretending to give them a chance, alone, to stand up for their
rights, as if they can, as if they will, as if anyone will listen to
them anyway.
If this is the EU's idea of how to solve the "problems" of tens of
thousands of abandoned children, how hopeless is the future for
Romania's next generation ? " said Karen Hauber of the United States.
"Most Institutionalized children don't have access to telephones or
have never used one. How will they find out about this program –
printed notices ? At least half of the children haven't learned to
read !
And who is going to assist disabled children or abused toddlers in
making a call ? This is unconscionable and clearly not the solution
to institutionalized children's rights being violated." Said a
furious Jean-Pierre Clement of France.
The Children's Voice Association supports the institutionalized
children and youth in voicing their rights and devising their
perspective of an independent life. Its founding members are the
winners of the Edelweiss National Talent Competition that took place
as part of the awareness campaign, "A Children's Home is not a Real
Home".
The campaign, which lasted for two years, was initiated by the
Government of Romania through The National Authority of Child
Protection and Adoption, and was financed by the European Union,
under the Phare program. Sadly, the winners of the competition still
remain institutionalized.
Stated Elena Dimitru, Romania's Minister of Labor, Social Solidarity
and Family, "Another proof that what we are doing for the children
is right, is the setting up of this Association.
It is wonderful to see that these children have the strength, the
intelligence and the ambition to support their rights. This gives us
more satisfaction than anything else as it is the best evidence that
children benefit from good care and education and that they have the
necessary skills to live an independent life."
Said Fernando Manzano of Spain, "At a time when the Romanian
Parliament is debating legislation that will permanently ban
international adoptions if passed, I think all orphans should be
told their government may soon violate their rights as signators of
the Hague Treaty, which gives them the right to a permanent family.
I hope they also give these children a toll-free number to Baroness
Nicholson, Romania's EU rapporteur, to complain that those rights
are being violated."
At the official launch of the Association Jonathan Scheele, the Head
of the Delegation of the European Commission in Romania stated : "We
are happy to see that Romania has increasingly proved over the
recent years that it can take care of its own children.
We are very pleased to note that the children who won the Edelweiss
competition not only stayed together as a group, but also decided to
become more involved in developing the dialogue between
institutionalized children and child care authorities."
Emil-Noni Iordache, President of The Children's Voice Association,
added : "The Association aims at solving institutionalized
children's specific problems. These problems will be identified by
young people who have been raised under similar social conditions."
Said Maire Hayes of Ireland, "I should think after a three year
moratorium on international adoption and the millions of Euros and
dollars poured into the childcare system, the EU and the Romanian
government should have a very clear idea of what those problems are
by now.
Children are not qualified to identify problems in other
institutionalized children. That is the responsibility of
caregivers, social workers, doctors, teachers and government
officials - and to subsequently find appropriate solutions."