Process to facilitate international adoption of children to commence soon

With provisions already made possible under the amended law, the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security is aiming to commence the process of other countries being able to adopt children here by June this year.

“We are hopeful that international adoption will commence by mid-year and we are working feverishly towards that date,” Minister of Human Services and Social Security, Dr Vindhya Persaud told the News Room in a recent interview.

In August 2021, the National Assembly passed amendments to the Adoption of Children Act to align Guyana’s law for international adoption with the Hague Convention.

This convention aims to ensure that inter-country adoption takes place in the best interest of the child and with respect to the child’s fundamental rights. In accordance with this convention, Guyana’s revision allows for greater international cooperation to protect children from challenges such as abduction and trafficking.

The new section of the Act, 35 (F), provides for automatic recognition of adoptions certified by another central authority.

Additionally, new section 35 (G) provides that an adoption certificate issued in a Convention country, is evidence that the adoption was agreed to by the Central Authorities of both countries.

As such, it will allow countries to recognise that the adoption was carried out in accordance with both the Convention and the law of the country that issued the adoption certificate.

Prior to the passage of the amendments, international adoptions were paused.

Dr Persaud also told the News Room that efforts are currently being made to present several other pieces of legislation with regards to the Hague Convention before the National Assembly.

“We are encouraging people to adopt more children so that they have safe and permanent, loving homes. Foster care is the transient phase of that. We are also encouraging people to come onto our foster care programme and hopefully the children will get permanent homes after that,” she said.