ARMENIA RATIFIES THE HAGUE CONVENTION ON INTER-COUNTRY ADOPTION
Panorama.am
13:13 14/11/06
President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan signed today the Hague
Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect
of Inter-Country Adoption.
According to UNICEF Armenia Office, the Convention was ratified by
the National Assembly on 23 October 2006.
The Hague Convention establishes a set of internationally agreed
minimum requirements and procedures to govern inter-country adoptions
in which a child moves from one country that has signed the Convention
to another signatory country.
"Armenia’s ratification of this treaty highlights the country’s
commitment to ensure that essential safeguards and procedures are
in place regulating the inter-country adoption of children from
Armenia," says Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative in Armenia. "With
its ratification, Armenia joins a partnership of some 70 countries
working together to ensure that the best interests of each individual
child are respected when inter-country adoption is being considered."
The Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which Armenia is a
signatory, clearly states that every child has the right to be cared
for by his or her own parents, whenever possible. UNICEF believes
that families needing support to care for their children should
receive it, and that alternative means for caring for a child should
only be considered when, despite this assistance, a child’s family is
unavailable, unable or unwilling to care for him or her. Inter-country
adoption is one of a range of care options for a child who cannot be
placed in a family setting in his or her country of origin. However,
the best interests of each individual child must always be the
guiding principle.
Over the past years, the number of families from rich countries wanting
to adopt children from other countries has grown substantially. This,
coupled with insufficient regulation and oversight, risks creating an
environment where motives and activities that may not be in the best
interests of the child can take centre stage. The Convention seeks to
establish a cooperative framework between the countries of origin of
children being placed for adoption and their receiving countries to
ensure that the child’s best interests are safeguarded and to prevent
abuses such as exploitation and trafficking in children.
"Armenia has embarked on the path of child welfare reforms by
adopting a new Family Code, amending key legislation related to
children and establishing child protection bodies at the central and
local level. The country’s accession to this Convention once again
demonstrates the Government’s strong commitment to create a protective
environment for children in Armenia," the UNICEF Representative
said. "It is now important to ensure that relevant mechanisms are in
place for the effective and full implementation of the Convention."
The Hague Convention includes provisions to ensure that adoption is
authorized by competent national authorities and that inter-country
adoption does not result in improper financial gain for those involved
in it. These provisions are meant first and foremost to protect
children but also have the positive effect of providing assurance
to prospective adoptive parents that their child had not been the
subject of illegal and detrimental practices.
UNICEF established its presence in Armenia in 1994.
UNICEF is mandated by the United Nations General Assembly to advocate
for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic
needs and to expand their opportunities to meet their full potential.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
