In light of the DRC’s September 26, 2014 announcement that its exit permit suspension for adopted children remains in effect indefinitely, the Department of State has asked all adoption agencies to cease referring new DRC adoption cases for U.S. prospective adoptive parents at this time. The Department of State strongly recommends against initiating an adoption in the DRC at this …
Welcome Trish Maskew, New Chief of the Adoption Division September 24, 2014 The Office of Children’s Issues is pleased to announce the appointment of Trish Maskew as the new Chief of the Adoption Division. Trish joins the Department of State from the Department of Justice where she worked in the Civil Division for almost six years. Before joining the U.S. …
According to reports from the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”), officials intercepted an attempt by three American adoptive families to remove their children from Congo without proper authorization (http://radiookapi.net/actualite/2014/09/14/trafic-denfants-la-dgm-demantele-un-reseau-dirige-par-un-citoyen-americain/). This news story has been reported as “child selling” or trafficking by DRC news outlets (http://youtu.be/Ym4kecKFvIM). PEAR understands that the three families in question had legally adopted the seven affected children according to …
On July 10, Ambassador James Swan met with Director General Beya of the Congolese General Direction of Migration (DGM) to seek clarification on the DGM’s decision to no longer issue exit permits to any adopted Congolese children until a new adoption law is promulgated. DGM Beya stated that his office will not accept any cases for consideration in the interim, …
The Institut du Bien-Etre Social et de Recherche (IBESR), Haiti’s central adoption authority, recently announced updated information related to its Hague Adoption Convention intercountry adoption procedures. The announcement is available, in French, on IBESR’s website. Among other clarifications, IBESR announced that the registration period for re-authorization of international adoption service providers will be from July 14, 2014 until August 14, 2014. …
Bal Mandir minors ‘sexually exploited repeatedly’ RepublicaKamal PariyarInvolvement of accused yet to be verifiedKATHMANDU, July 9: On the basis of medical examinations, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police on Wednesday submitted its investigation report to Kathmandu District Attorney with testimonies that three minor girls, students at Bal Mandir, were sexually exploited repeatedly. “After a three-week intensified investigation, we have submitted …
Child predators: Even compared to recent scandals in children’s homes, allegations of abuse at Bal Mandir are shockingNepali Times 4-10 July 2014 Sunir Pandey When Sarah Robinson first came to Nepal with her son and niece in 2009, she took time out from sightseeing to visit Bal Mandir in Naxal. At the squalid state-run orphanage, Sarah’s niece happened to pick up …
CIB investigating sexual abuse of Balmandir girlsSays it is gathering supportive documentsThe Himalayan Times2014-06-28KATHMANDU: The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal police has said it is collecting supportive documents in relation to an alleged sexual abuse case in Balmandir, a children’s home based in Kathmandu.Following a complaint lodged by Action for Child Rights International-Nepal (ACRI-Nepal), an INGO, the apex investigating body …
Child predators detainedNepali TimesSaturday, June 28th, 2014Two men working in an orphanage in Kathmandu have been arrested and are facing trial next week accused of sexually abusing children in their charge.Rabin Shrestha, former head of the adoptions at Bal Mandir, and Rabin Chalise, an ex-student who ran a Youth Club at the shelter, were arrested by the Central Investigation Bureau …
Nepal adoptions chief raped and groomed orphans for prostitution, claims British teacherThe Daily TelegraphA British woman who adopted a five year old blind girl from a Nepalese orphanage believes she uncovered an abuse and vice ring after her new daughter said she’d been raped every SaturdayBy Dean Nelson, New Delhi and Anil Giri in Kathmandu27 Jun 2014The former head of …