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Guatemala Approves New Adoption Law

08:06 H | Topics: Children - Controversia - Guatemala - Justice - Women

I took some heat for my position on international adoptions in third world nations, specific to a story about Guatemala suspending international adoptions. Well yesterday Guatemalan legislators approved a new law that tightens adoptions, while allowing pending cases — mostly involving U.S. couples — to go through without meeting stricter requirements. The new requirements comply with international law, specifically the Hague Convention, that was designed to protect adopted children from human trafficking.

The Central American country sent 4,135 children to the U.S. last year, making it the largest source of babies for American families after China.

"We are very happy to finish the process before the changes ... even though the Guatemalan government was much tougher now than during our previous adoption," said Shari Ramsay. The couple successfully adopted a Guatemalan girl in 2003. Guatemalan adoptions are currently handled exclusively by notaries who work with birth mothers, determine if babies were surrendered willingly, hire foster mothers and handle all the paperwork. These notaries charge an average of $30,000 for children delivered in about nine months — record time for international adoptions. The process is so quick that one in every 100 Guatemalan children born in recent years grows up as an adopted American.

Ok people get ready to beat me up again, but shouldn't something with such serious implications as international adoption be a tough process. I'm not saying it should be impossible, but I don't think it's wrong to make potential parents jump through some legal hoops.

The new law with practically eliminate the participation of notaries, while creating the National Adoption Council, an oversight agency including Guatemala's Supreme Court and foreign relations and social development departments. All orphanages will have to register with the council, which will be responsible for informing birth parents of their options and establishing fees that non-Guatemalan adoptive parents pay to the government. The law expressly prohibits birth parents from being paid for giving a child up for adoption, and eliminates the notaries' practice of offering children for adoption before they are born. Biological parents will have to wait at least six weeks after birth before deciding whether to put the child up for adoption.

Via / Yahoo! News

Related

• Stolen Vidas : Some Guatemalan Babies in the U.S. Were Stolen From Their Mamis (Thursday, Jul 24 2008)
• Anti-Immigrant Groups in Denver Protest Actions of Guatemalan Consul (Monday, Feb 18 2008)