Here is the petition found at: http://www.gopetition.com/
To: Government of Nepal
Governments of the United States of America, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Norway, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
From: International Group of Prospective Adoptive Families: 2009 and 2010 Applicants
And Supporters of Nepal Adoptions
Currently over 500 prospective adoptive families from the U.S., Canada and numerous European nations are in the process of adopting orphaned children from Nepal. Many of these families have been waiting faithfully for three years or more to adopt from Nepal.
In 2007, the Government of Nepal (GoN) imposed a protracted suspension of inter-country adoptions to create and implement a reformed system designed to mitigate against fraud and corruption, and to make the process of international adoption more transparent. These reforms are outlined in the Terms and Conditions (T&C) set forth by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. The Terms and Conditions were approved by the GoN in 2008, enabling Nepal’s adoption program to reopen in January, 2009. In April, 2009, the GoN signed onto the Hague, evidencing its intention to become a member of the Convention.
UNICEF and the Hague Permanent Bureau have recently released reports that are critical of Nepal’s adoption process and call for a renewed suspension until additional reforms are in place; namely the full implementation and ratification of the Hague Convention. In response to these reports and subsequent negative press about Nepal’s adoption program, receiving countries are monitoring the Nepal program closely, and at least two countries have suspended adoptions.
From the time the GoN reopened inter-country adoptions on January 1, 2009 to date, there have been repeated administrative delays, resulting in processing and approval of less than 5% of the more than 500 pending files in the Ministry’s 2009 queue under the new protocols. **
Over forty families accepted child referrals in September, 2009, but have now been waiting more than six months for travel approvals to meet their new children and complete their adoptions. Tens of additional matches were reportedly made months ago, but have not yet been released to agencies or families. Hundreds of waiting families and children remain in limbo, waiting for their 2009 files to be processed and completed.
We support the progress the GoN has made to ensure that its adoption system is aligned with universally accepted standards and safeguards so that each and every adoption is handled in a fair, ethical and transparent manner.
However, denying children who are eligible for adoption their basic human right to a permanent, loving family during a period of reform directly contradicts the Hague Convention’s own principles, and most certainly is not in the best interests of the vulnerable children involved.
Even the best institutions fail to provide the care that young children need; and international law emphasizes and makes central the child’s human right to grow up in a loving family. Prolonged detainment in an orphanage is detrimental to a child’s future capacity to grow, develop and reach his or her full potential. Each month of delay represents a loss that may never be recovered.
We believe that it is possible to process these cases in both a thorough and timely manner with full regard for the necessary protections now in place.
In the best interests of the waiting children, we urge the principal receiving countries to actively maintain their adoption programs with Nepal, and to redouble their efforts to support the GoN in further strengthening its adoption system as it works towards Hague ratification.
On humanitarian grounds, and with mercy towards the children and the hundreds of families who have complied with Nepal’s adoption requirements and waited years to welcome their new children into their hearts and homes:
We respectfully request the GoN sign all pending travel approvals and fully complete processing and approval of all the remaining 2009 applications, with all urgency.
International Group of Prospective Adoptive Families: 2009 and 2010 Applicants and Supporters of Nepal Adoptions.
March 2, 2010
** Applicants, agencies and their representatives have received a variety of explanations for the repeated delays: Unfilled leadership positions, sudden staff turn-over, orientation periods for newly appointed officials, apparent reluctance to convene decision-making meetings, apparent internal discord, extended holiday periods, travel, misaligned schedules, and an uncertain political backdrop. These bottlenecks have been accompanied by a lack of information from the Ministry to receiving country embassies, agencies and their representatives, and waiting families on progress, intention and timelines for adoption-related actions.
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