American families adopted 241 Indian kids in 2019, an official US report said on Wednesday. In fiscal 2019, consular officers issued 2,971 immigrant visas to children adopted abroad (2,677) or to be adopted in the United States (294) by American citizens, the State Department said in its 12th annual report on the issue. The report shows a decline in the total number of inter-country adoptions by American families, Special Advisor for Children's Issues Michelle Bernier-Toth told reporters during a news conference.

Most of that decline he attributed to a decrease of inter-country adoptions from just two countries: China (a decrease of 656) and Ethiopia (a decrease of 166). In both cases, the reductions result from "continued social, economic or legal changes that we have previously reported on regarding those countries", she said.

"We believe that most of the continuing worldwide decline is due to countries prioritising domestic placements for vulnerable children before considering inter-country adoption, or countries such as Russia, Guatemala and Ethiopia, which have unilaterally suspended or banned inter-country adoption," she said.

At the same time, some countries noticeably increased the number of inter-country adoptions to the US, including Ukraine (+50), Liberia (+21), Hungary (+17) and Colombia (+15), the report said.

However, Chinese kids still top the list of adoptions with 819 in 2019. China is followed by Ukraine (298), Colombia (244), India (241) and South Korea (166).

MEXICALI, B.C. (KYMA, KECY)-A same-sex couple in Mexicali returns their nine-year-old adopted daughter to the National System for Integral Family Development (DIF).

After 6 months of trying to adopt a child, Martha and Bertha became the first same-sex couple in Mexicali to adopt a child.

However, the child was returned to the state DIF without any reasons being disclosed by the party of authority.

Last October, the couple managed to finalize the adoption after more than a year of completing the procedure and becoming the first same-sex couple in Mexicali and Baja California to achieve the adoption of a minor by the DIF.

The general director of the state DIF, Blanca Esthela Fabela, reported that the minor is in good health and the case is being investigated by the institution.

Monrovia- Maria Morgan Luyken, a naturalized American citizen who has been linked to the trafficking more than 500 Liberian children over a ten-year period, says she did nothing wrong to adopt poor people children and made them travel to America.

On May 7, Talk Show host, Costa posted a picture of Madam Luyken and Monrovia City Mayor Jefferson Koijee on his Facebook page and at the same time stated that Madam Luyken has benefited about four million dollars from trafficking Liberian kids.

“Fresh information on child trafficker Maria Luyken; She sold a total of 550 children over 10 years. She made about 4 million dollars, charging US$ 9,000 per child in “processing fees”. The more I learn about this disgusting woman, the more I get so angry that’s she is still free and passing around,” Costa posted on his most followed Facebook page.

But speaking to journalists in Monrovia Sunday, May 10, Madam Luyken who was born and raised in Liberia before going to the US to attain American citizenship admitted of taking over 500 children to the US but noted that she followed all of the legal steps in adopting children.

“Saah Joseph was adopted and today has come back to become a senator. What a blessing. So, if 10 percent of those children that were adopted were to come back, it will be good for Liberia. China did the same, they sent their children out for adoption and today they are blessing their country why not us when we are one of the poorest countries in the world. Why not us when we so connected to the US when we all want to be in the US,” Madam Luyken said.

The Punjab and Haryana high court has asked ministry of external affairs (MEA) to apprise it whether for adoption under the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act (HAMA)-1956, no objection certificate (NOC) from the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is mandatory.

The response was sought on the plea from a two- year- old girl, adopted by an NRI couple. She was one of the twins born to a Jalandhar couple and subsequently adopted by NRI sister of her natural mother. They had applied for passport, but it was refused on the ground that there was no NOC from CARA. It is a statutory body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions. CARA is established under Juvenile Justice Act (JJA), 2015.

The girl was born in November 2017 to a Sikh family in Jalandhar. She was adopted as per Sikh rites performed at a local Gurdwara as both the sides of parents were Sikhs to which a certificate too was issued. An adoption deed was executed between both the parents in November 2018 under the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act (as applicable to Sikhs). Thereafter, the family applied for girl’s passport which was rejected by authorities stating that NOC from CARA was mandatory.

As per petitioner girl’s advocate SS Nara, Section 56 (3) of the JJ Act 2015 states that the provisions of the JJ Act would not be applicable to the adoption of children made under the provisions of HAMA, latter being a ‘special law’. JJ Act does not override the provisions of HAMA Act, it was argued adding that in view of this passport cannot be denied.

On the other hand, Central government counsel had argued it is a mandatory procedure for the adoption to be ratified by CARA, even though JJ Act would not be applicable to an adoption under HAMA. There are notifications which categorically state that the Hague Convention itself mandates adoptions to be through CARA alone, the counsel had added.

TEHRAN – Child adoption has increased in the country, as some 2,000 children are adopted annually, 1,700 of whom are placed for permanent adoption and 300 in temporary custody, Habibollah Masoudi, deputy director of the Welfare Organization has stated.

Following the Law on Protection of Children and Adolescents in [the Iranian calendar year] 1392 (March 2013-March 2014), the number of adoption cases has increased and 2,000 children are placed for adoption annually, some of whom are placed under temporary custody because a temporary trustee is better than care centers, he explained.

For adoption, criteria like mental health, the ability to take care of a child, no addiction, no criminal record, and bad reputation, as well as proper income must be achieved. The approach is the result of studying the adoption process in 10 countries around the world, he noted.

He went on to say that many countries in the world have stricter rules for adoption than Iran. For example, driving violations are considered for adoption. It is believed that those who commit traffic violations are lawbreakers and cannot be good parents, also issues such as parties and home safety are considered in some countries.

Last year, 160 children were adopted who were suffering from diseases or disabilities. Also, 130 children were given to single girls over the age of 30, he stated.

YouTube mom Myka Stauffer had adopted a Chinese child in 2017, just to give him back because he was autistic. Naturally, she was at the receiving end of overwhelming hatred, with many claiming that the entire adoption process was just an act of monetisation as the couple did make a lot of money post adoption. And then there is a couple in India who adopted a 16-month-old child with Down Syndrome.

Kavita and her husband Himanshu adopted Veda in 2017 and three years later, the couple celebrated their adoption anniversary on 30 May. Kavita shared how she was always interested in adopting a child and was never interested in having a biological child. She has confided in her husband about this wish before they got married and he was on the same page and didn’t want them to be an ordinary couple. They had decided beforehand that they would adopt a baby girl.

One would wonder what made them adopt a child with special needs, to which Kavita shared that it was on their trip to the US, they made up their mind. They learned about kids with Down Syndrome and decided that they wanted to fight the stigma attached to special needs and stability. “We wanted to provide an environment, a home and cater to their physical and mental needs.”

They adopted Veda when they were already married for over 5 years. The family was upset over their decision to not have biological children and felt uncomfortable whenever they broached on the topic of adoption. “Our family was not happy when we adopted a child with special needs but we had made up our minds by then. We knew we had to do it for Veda, if not for ourselves.”

The couple did not send Veda to school and have been homeschooling her. They exclusively told a leading website, “We do not believe in formal education. We feel every child is different and has a different learning curve. Their pace is different, too. We let Veda decide what she wants to do. My day starts with having breakfast and doing activities with her. She loves watering plants and painting. We also involve speech and occupational therapy while she does her activities. We go up and down the stairs to strengthen her muscles, and this is pretty much our daily routine.”

On this weblog you can follow us during our journey through India.

August 14, 2005

At home ... part 1

Today I made a small change. I have placed a large number of weblogs in the archive. This frees up more space for the latest weblogs. When you click on a specific date in the left column, you can open and view the blogs placed in the archive.

The days after returning home were intense. At home, indeed, but uncomfortable and it didn't feel like home yet. It was also quiet. And without the companions around me it was lonely too.

- They have never been my parents, says 27-year-old Netra Sommer.

"How lucky are you that you were adopted to Denmark."

It is a phrase that many adoptees hear throughout their lives, especially if they come from poor countries.

Netra Sommer does that.

She was born in Mumbai and spent the first part of her life in an orphanage in a poor Indian area until she was adopted to Denmark.

When they decided to start a family, Sangeetha and Stefano opted for international adoption, giving them the availability to welcome children with reversible diseases such as cleft lip and palate. This is their story.

“My name is Sangeetha, I was born in India 37 years ago and at five I was adopted by an Italian family. Today I live in the province of Brescia with my husband Stefano and our 7-year-old adopted daughter Jana, born in Kottur, India, just like me. "

Sangeetha has always felt the desire to relive, as a mother, the experience of adoption. When she and Stefano decided to start a family they had no doubts and India seemed to them the logical continuation of their path.

"Our intention was to give willingness to accept children with certain reversible pathologies, those that we felt capable of dealing with, such as cleft lip and palate ."

In accepting this pathology, the experience of Stefano, born with cleft lip, also weighed . A further element that, in some way, closed the circle.

The Romanian Parliament adopted today, November 3, 2020, by unanimous vote (270 votes in favor) fundamental improvements to law 273/2004 on the adoption procedure, changes long debated but also expected by the approximately 50,000 children in the child protection system but and future adoptive parents. "I confess that the desperate requests I received from my parents in search of the child to love and protect are the ones that motivated me to get involved in the last two years, two long years, in debating and completing the law adoption. Starting from a very good project, initiated by the PSD Government in September 2018, I debated the law with the civil society both in Bra?ov, on November 2, 2018 but also in Bucharest, in June 2019. Then, I worked, together with Oana Bîzgan, for other parliamentary colleagues, to a series of amendments that I supported and that are found in the law voted today. We want the law voted today to mean a much shorter stay of children in the child protection system and a much faster integration of them in the family, where they have to live and grow. " - said the PSD deputy, Roxana Mînzatu. Among the beneficial legal provisions adopted today by the Chamber of Deputies are: - The extension from 2 years to 5 years of the validity of the certificate of adoptive family.The certificates valid on the date of entry into force of this law extend their validity until the fulfillment of the term of 5 years from the date of their issuance. - A child may be declared adoptable without the consent of relatives up to the fourth degree; extended family relatives remain among the categories with priority in the placement of the child and then match for adoption of the child, if desired. - A child will be able to be declared adoptable more quickly by shortening the time limits in which natural parents over the age of 18 declare in writing that they give up caring for the child and in which they can return to the initial declaration - In the case of siblings the special protection system, which are protected in the administrative-territorial area of ??the same directorate, is appointed by the same case manager. Also, adoptive parents who have already adopted a sibling also gain priority in matching the other siblings in the child protection system. - The application for approval of the adoption is simplified by eliminating the obligation to legalize the documents at the notary - they will be certified by each DGASPC. - Children declared adoptable will be able to benefit from the chance in a family even after reaching the age of 14, remaining adoptable until adulthood. - The definition of persons with whom the child enjoyed family life and who have priority in the matching procedure with the adoptable child / children is extended. -The accommodation allowance and allowances that adoptive parents receive are aligned with the benefits enjoyed by any biological parent - for example, the allowance of 85% of the average net income of the adoptive parent in the last 12 months of the last 2 years prior to the decision. entrusted courts for adoption. - Clearly and strictly condition those exceptional situations, not imputable (with evidence) in which the natural parents no longer agree with the adoption and request the review against a court decision to open the adoption procedure - Simplify post-adoption monitoring. For example, post-adoption monitoring is not performed in the case of internal adoption of the child by the spouse of the natural or adoptive parent or by the child's relatives, nor in the case of adoption of the child by his guardian or by persons / families who had the child at least 2 years. - The obligation for the director of DGASPC to control, on a quarterly basis, the way in which each case manager carries out his activity for the benefit of the children he cares for is introduced. - The internal adoption of children who are difficult to adopt is stimulated by providing financial incentives (which are granted after the adoption sentence and until the adoption of the adopted child or up to the age of 26 if they continue their studies); I reproduce below the text of the law: “(1) The adopter or the adoptive family benefits, from a support allowance, related to the reference social indicator, in the amount of 1.20 SRI, for each child who, at the date of finality of the approval court decision of adoption, is in one of the following situations: a) is between 3 and 6 years old; b) is classified as having a mild or medium disability; c) is part of a group of 2 brothers who can be adopted together.(2) The amount of the indemnity is increased by 50% in case the child is in one of the following situations at the date of the final decision of the court approving the adoption: a) he / she is 7 years old; b) is classified as severely or severely disabled, infected with HIV or AIDS; c) is part of a group of at least 3 brothers adoptable together. (3) If the adopted child meets two of the conditions provided in paragraph (1) or (2), the amount of the support allowance shall be increased by 75%. (4) In the situation where the adopted child meets cumulatively all the conditions provided in paragraph (1) or those provided in paragraph. (2), the amount of the support allowance shall be increased by 100%. " - Fixed annual sums of money are provided to support the medical recovery expenses necessary for the adopted child - Parents are also helped to adopt children from a geographical area other than the one where they reside, by settling expenses of the adoptive parents with the practical matching visit. Currently, about 50,000 children live in the child protection system, according to official data released by the Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Children and Adoptions. In 2017, just over 3,000 people had the necessary certificate for adoption and just over 1,000 people adopted children. The law voted today (PLX 736/2018) is meant to contribute, through its application, to the significant increase of domestic adoption, after it will be promulgated by the President of Romania. Roxana Mînzatu PSD Deputy Bra?ov November 3, 2020

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Parlamentul României a adoptat azi, 3 noiembrie 2020, cu unanimitate de voturi (270 voturi pentru) îmbun?t??iri fundamentale la legea 273/2004 privind procedura adop?iei, modific?ri îndelung dezb?tute dar ?i a?teptate de cei circa 50 000 de copii din sistemul de protec?ie a copilului dar ?i de viitori p?rin?i adoptivi. ”M?rturisesc c? solicit?rile disperate pe care le-am primit de la p?rin?i în c?utarea copilului pe care s? îl iubeasc? ?i s? îl ocroteasc? sunt cele care m-au motivat s? m? implic în ultimii doi ani, doi ani lungi, în dezbaterea ?i completarea legii adop?iei. Pornind de la un proiect foarte bun, ini?iat de Guvernul PSD în septembrie 2018, am dezb?tut legea cu societatea civil? atât la Bra?ov, în 2 noiembrie 2018 dar ?i la Bucure?ti, în iunie 2019. Apoi, am lucrat, al?turi de Oana Bîzgan, de al?i colegi parlamentari, la o serie de amendamente pe care le-am sus?inut ?i care se reg?sesc în legea votat? azi. Ne dorim ca legea votat? azi s? însemne o ?edere mult mai scurt? a copiilor în sistemul de protec?ie a copilului ?i o integrare mult mai rapid? a acestora în familie, acolo unde trebuie s? traiasc? ?i s? creasc?.” – a declarat deputatul PSD, Roxana Mînzatu. Printre prevederile legale benefice adoptate, azi, de Camera Deputa?ilor, se num?r?: - Prelungirea de la 2 ani la 5 ani a valabilit??ii atestatului de familie adoptatoare. Atestatele valabile la data intr?rii în vigoare a prezentei legi î?i prelungesc valabilitatea pân? la împlinirea termenului de 5 ani de la data eliber?rii acestora. - Un copil va putea fi declarat adoptabil f?r? a mai fi cerut acordul rudelor de pân? la gradul IV; rudele din familia extins? râmân printre categoriile cu prioritate la luarea în plasament al copilului ?i, apoi, potrivire în vederea adop?iei copilului, dac? doresc. - Un copil va putea fi declarat ca adoptabil mai rapid prin scurtarea termenelor în care p?rin?ii fire?ti cu vârsta peste 18 ani declar? în scris c? renun?? s? se ocupe de cre?terea ?i îngrijirea copilului ?i în care pot s? revin? asupra declara?iei ini?iale - În cazul fra?ilor din sistemul de protec?ie special?, care sunt ocroti?i în raza administrativ-teritorial? a acelea?i direc?ii se desemneaz? acela?i manager de caz. De asemenea, p?rin?ii adoptivi care au adoptat deja un frate dobândesc, ?i ei, prioritate, la potrivirea cu ceilal?i fra?i din sistemul de protec?ie a copilului. - Se simplific? cerererea de încuviin?are a adop?iei prin eliminarea obliga?iei legaliz?rii la notar a documentelor – acestea vor fi certificate de fiecare DGASPC. - Copiii declara?i adoptabili vor putea beneficia de ?ansa la o familie inclusiv dup? împlinirea vârstei de 14 ani, r?mânând adoptabili pân? la majorat. - Se extinde defini?ia persoanelor al?turi de care copilul s-a bucurat de via?a de familie ?i care au prioritate la procedura de potrivire cu copilul / copiii adoptabili. - Concediul de acomodare ?i indemniza?iile pe care le primesc p?rin?ii adoptatori sunt aliniate cu beneficiile de care se bucur? orice p?rinte biologic – de exemplu, indemniza?ia de 85% din media veniturilor nete realizate de p?rintele adoptator în ultimele 12 luni din ultimii 2 ani anteriori datei emiterii hot?rârii judec?tore?ti de încredin?are în vederea adop?iei. - Se condi?ioneaz? clar ?i stict acele situa?ii excep?ionale, neimputabile (cu probe) în care p?rin?ii fire?ti nu mai sunt de acord cu adop?ia ?i cer revizuirea împotriva unei hot?rârii judec?tore?ti de deschidere a procedurii adop?iei - Se simplific? monitorizarea post-adop?ie. De exemplu, monitorizarea postadop?ie nu se realizeaz? în cazul adop?iei interne a copilului de c?tre so?ul p?rintelui firesc sau adoptiv ori de c?tre rudele copilului ?i nici în cazul adop?iei copilului de c?tre tutorele s?u ori de c?tre persoane/familii care au avut copilul în plasament cel pu?in 2 ani. - Se introducere obliga?ia ca directorul DGASPC s? controleze, trimestrial, modul în care fiecare manager de caz î?i desf??oar? activitatea în beneficiul copiilor de care se ocup?. - Se stimuleaz? adop?ia intern? a copiilor greu adoptabili prin acordarea de stimulente financiare (care se acord? dup? sentin?a de adop?ie ?i pân? la majoratul copilului adoptat sau pân? la 26 ani dac? î?i continu? studiile); redau mai jos textul legii: ”(1) Adoptatorul sau familia adoptatoare beneficiaz?, de indemniza?ie de sprijin, raportat? la indicatorul social de referin??, în cuantum de 1,20 ISR, pentru fiecare copil care, la data r?mânerii definitive a hot?rârii judec?tore?ti de încuviin?are a adop?iei, se afl? în una din urm?toarele situa?ii: a) are vârsta cuprins? între 3 ?i 6 ani; b) este încadrat în grad de handicap u?or sau mediu; c) face parte dintr-un grup de 2 fra?i adoptabili împreun?. (2) Cuantumul indemniza?iei se majoreaz? cu 50% pentru cazul în care la data r?mânerii definitive a hot?rârii judec?tore?ti de încuviin?are a adop?iei copilul se afl? în una din urm?toarele situa?ii: a) are împlinit? vârsta de 7 ani; b) este încadrat în grad de handicap accentuat sau grav, infectat HIV sau bolnav SIDA; c) face parte dintr-un grup de cel pu?in 3 fra?i adoptabili împreun?. (3) În situa?ia în care copilul adoptat întrune?te dou? dintre condi?iile prev?zute la alin.(1) sau (2), cuantumul indemniza?iei de sprijin, se majoreaz? cu 75%. (4) În situa?ia în care copilul adoptat întrune?te cumulativ toate condi?iile prev?zute la alin.(1) sau pe cele prev?zute la alin. (2), cuantumul indemniza?iei de sprijin se majoreaz? cu 100%.” - Se acord? sume fixe anuale de bani pentru sus?inerea cheltuielilor de recuperare medical? necesare copilului adoptat - P?rin?ii sunt ajuta?i s? adopte ?i copii din alt? zon? geografic? decât cea în care domiciliaz?, prin decontarea unor cheltuieli p?rin?ilor adoptatori cu vizita de potrivire practic?. În prezent, aproximativ 50000 de copii tr?iesc în sistemul de protec?ie a copilului, conform datelor oficiale f?cute publice de c?tre Autoritatea pentru Drepturile Persoanelor cu Dizabilit??i, Copii ?i Adop?ii. În 2017 pu?in peste 3000 de persoane aveau atestatul necesar adop?iei ?i pu?in peste 1000 persoane au ?i adoptat copii. Legea votat? ast?zi (PLX 736/2018) are menirea s? contribuie, prin aplicarea ei, la cre?terea semnificativ? a adop?iei interne, dup? ce va fi promulgat? de Pre?edintele României. Roxana Mînzatu Deputat PSD Bra?ov 3 noiembrie 2020

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