DanAdopt forced to stop adoptions from Ethiopia

Source: www.dr.dk

Publication date: 5 April 2013

Ministry of Social Affairs has decided to close the DanAdopt adoptions of children from Ethiopia, because there are doubts about whether the agency dissemination of adoptions from the African country is ethically and legally defensible.

AT. 14:10

DR News korrepondent in investigative journalism, Line Gertsen, is here with an Ethiopian woman who has given up for adoption a child. © DR

Written by: Lars Nielsen Brøndum

Ministry of Social Affairs closes now for adoption agency DanAdopt adoptions of children from Ethiopia. It learns ABC News.

In addition to DanAdopt also explain the adoption process in all other countries, they adopt children.

Also another adoption agency in Denmark, AC International Child Support, must account for their adoptions of children from Ethiopia. They are still allowed to continue their adoptions from Ethiopia until their account has been assessed by the Ministry of Social Affairs.

Frustrated mothers seek ambasssade

Ministry decision made partly on the basis of DR News evidence of problems in adoption industry.

According to Social Security and Integration Minister Karen Haekkerup (S), confidence in DanAdopt away.

- I have unfortunately no longer with the necessary confidence DanAdopt dissemination of adoptions from Ethiopia when the Appeals Board considers that there is doubt as to whether adoptions always done ethically and legally justifiable. Therefore I have decided to stop DanAdopt dissemination of children from Ethiopia. It is a far-reaching decision that I am sorry and sad that I have to take, because there are many children who are waiting to have two parents in Denmark. But it is also a necessary decision. For no one, neither the children, their biological parents or adoptive parents can live with the fact that there are doubts about how the child has been communicated to them, says Minister of Social Affairs.

She is now awaiting the report from DanAdopt, which will show whether the adoption agency working ethically and legally justifiable.

- Only when we are assured that the situation has been rectified, can DanAdopt again convey children from Ethiopia, says Karen Haekkerup.

READ ALSO OVERVIEW: Ethiopian adoptions in headwind

BBC News over the last month worked to investigate whether the international conventions are observed, when it comes to adoptions from Ethiopia.

In this context, four Ethiopian women who have given up for adoption their children to Denmark, turned on the Danish Embassy to vent their despair and frustration that they felt persuaded and have been promised contact with their biological children who subsequently not have been observed.

Criticism of DanAdopt

In addition, ABC News documented that used so-called børnehøstere in several cases of DanAdopt adoptions in Ethiopia.Børnehøstere is between men who used to entice parents to be adopting their children.

It is partly on the basis of this dubious approach to Ministry of Social Affairs now shut down DanAdopt activities.

You can see more about DanAdopt use of so-called børnehøstere in 21 Sunday to Sunday.

Are you affected by the Ministry of Social Affairs stop DanAdopt adoptions from Ethiopia? Write to ABC News on1212@dr.dk

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DanAdopt tvunget til stop af adoptioner fra Etiopien

Socialministeriet har besluttet at lukke for Danadopts adoptioner af børn fra Etiopien, fordi der er tvivl om hvorvidt bureauets formidling af adoptioner fra det afrikanske land er etisk og juridisk forsvarlige.

KL. 14:10

DR Nyheders korrepondent i undersøgende journalistik, Line Gertsen, er her sammen med en etiopisk kvinde, der har bortadopteret sit barn. © DR

Skrevet af: Lars Brøndum Nielsen

Socialministeriet lukker nu for adoptionsbureauet DanAdopts adoptioner af børn fra Etiopien. Det erfarer DR Nyheder.

Herud over skal DanAdopt også redegøre for adoptionsprocessen i samtlige andre lande, de adopterer børn fra.

Også det andet adoptionsbureau i Danmark, AC Børnehjælp, skal redegøre for deres adoptioner af børn fra Etiopien. De får dog stadig lov til at fortsætte deres adoptioner fra Etiopien, indtil deres redegørelse er blevet vurderet af Socialministeriet.

Frustrerede mødre opsøger ambasssade

Ministeriets beslutning sker blandt andet på baggrund af DR Nyheders dokumentation af problemerne i adoptionsbranchen.

Ifølge Social- og integrationsminister Karen Hækkerup (S), er tilliden til Danadopt væk.

- Jeg har desværre ikke længere den nødvendige tillid til DanAdopts formidling af adoptioner fra Etiopen, når Ankestyrelsen vurderer, at der er tvivl om, hvorvidt adoptionerne altid foregår etisk og juridisk forsvarligt. Derfor har jeg truffet beslutning om at stoppe DanAdopts formidling af børn fra Etiopien. Det er en vidtgående beslutning som jeg er ærgerlig over og ked af, at jeg må træffe, fordi der er mange børn, der venter på at få et forældrepar i Danmark. Men det er også en nødvendig beslutning. For ingen, hverken børn, deres biologiske forældre eller adoptivforældrene kan leve med, at der er tvivl om, hvordan barnet er blevet formidlet til dem, siger socialministeren.

Hun afventer nu redegørelsen fra DanAdopt, som skal vise, om adoptionsbureauet arbejder etisk og juridisk forsvarligt.

- Først når vi er forvisset om, at forholdene er bragt i orden, kan DanAdopt igen formidle børn fra Etiopien, siger Karen Hækkerup.

LÆS OGSÅ OVERBLIK: Etiopiske adoptioner i modvind

DR Nyheder igennem den sidste måned arbejdet på at undersøge, om de internationale konventioner er overholdt, når det handler om adoption fra Etiopien.

I den forbindelse har fire etiopiske kvinder, der har bortadopteret deres børn til Danmark, henvendt sig på den danske ambassade for at lufte deres fortvivlelse og frustration over, at de har følt sig overtalt og er blevet lovet kontakt med deres biologiske børn, som efterfølgende ikke er blevet overholdt.

Kritik af DanAdopt

Derudover har DR Nyheder dokumenteret, at der er brugt såkaldte børnehøstere i flere tilfælde af DanAdopts adoptioner i Etiopien. Børnehøstere er mellemmænd, der bruges til at lokke forældre til at bortadoptere deres børn.

Det er blandt andet på baggrund af denne kritisable fremgangsmåde, at Socialministeriet nu lukker ned for DanAdopts aktiviteter.

Du kan se meget mere om DanAdopts brug af såkaldte børnehøstere i 21 Søndag på søndag.

Er du berørt af socialministeriets stop af DanAdopts adoptioner fra Etiopien? Skriv til DR Nyheder på 1212@dr.dk

Countries: Ethiopia

Organizations: Danadopt (Danish Society for International child care)