Ethics Resource: Fleas Biting Back Online

Not long ago, Desiree Smolin and Usha Smerdon had an excellent blog on intercountry adoption, called “fleas biting,” that has been inactive of late. They are re-activating the blog along with Desiree’s husband, Professor David Smolin. Professor Smolin has recently posted there on the subject of “Intercountry Adoption and Accountability (Part I)”. PEAR welcomes the reactivation of Fleas Biting and …

Ethiopian Orphanage Closures

PEAR has been aware of rumors concerning impending revocation of orphanage licenses in Ethiopia since early spring of 2011. Beginning in July, we were made aware that the closures were imminent. We contacted the US department of State and the US Embassy in Addis Ababa for input and confirmation of the license revocations. On July 21, the US department of …

DOS Adoption Notice: CARA Announces Release of New Guidelines and Temporary Suspension of Acceptance of New Dossiers

IndiaJuly 22, 2011 Notice: CARA Announces Release of New Guidelines and Temporary Suspension of Acceptance of New Dossiers CARA recently released new guidelines for intercountry adoptions. Please visit CARA’s website at http://www.adoptionindia.nic.in/ for further information. CARA also recently announced a temporary freeze on the acceptance of new adoption dossiers as it attempts to clear a backlog of cases pending from …

DOS Adoption Notice: Orphanage Closures in Ethiopia

Ethiopia July 21, 2011 Notice: Orphanage Closures in Ethiopia The Department of State has learned that several agencies are reporting to their clients the closure of Mussie Child Care Center in Hosana, Ethiopia due to a revocation of their license to operate by Ethiopian authorities. The Department is aware that rumors of several other orphanage closure are circulating through the …

The Children Left Behind (The Pulitzer Center)

The Children Left Behind LISA DESAI AND HABIBA NOSHEEN, FOR THE PULITZER CENTER, KATHMANDU, NEPAL Published on June 29, 2011 Nepal became an important source of children for international adoption in part because adoption is not widely practiced or accepted among the Nepalese, an attitude that is prevalent across South Asia. But the United States and several other countries have …

DOS Adoption Alert: Ukraine- SDA resumes processing adoptions in Ukraine

DOS Adoption Alert: Ukraine- SDA resumes processing adoptions in Ukraine On July 14, 2011, the presidential order which extends the State Department on Adoption’s (SDA’s) authority to process adoptions was published in Ukraine. We have been informed by the SDA that they have resumed processing adoption applications. As described in a previous alert, the SDA will have the authority to …

A trafficker remains scot-free (The Kathmandu Post)

A trafficker remains scot-free (The Kathmandu Post) SHAHANI SINGH JUL 08 – It was in April this year when three worried adults in Humla submitted a letter of appeal to the Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB), a statutory body under the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare. Humble words requested for help in repatriating girl children from Tamil Nadu, …

USCIS Fact Sheet and QA on Russian Adoption Process Under the BiLateral Agreement

The Agreement between the United States of America and the Russian Federation Regarding Cooperation in Adoption of Children Fact Sheet and QA Introduction The Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State announced today, July 13, 2011, that Secretary of State Hilary Clinton and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov signed a bilateral adoptions agreement that will strengthen procedural safeguards …

USCIS Invites Teleconference Participation: Teleconference on U.S.-Russia Bilateral Adoptions Agreement

Teleconference on U.S.-Russia Bilateral Adoptions Agreement The Department of State (DOS) Office of Children’s Issues Adoption Division and USCIS International Operations Division invite you to participate in a teleconference on the bilateral adoption agreement between the United States and Russia on Thursday, July 14, 2011 at 1:00PM (EDT). DOS and USCIS will discuss the agreement’s current status and significance and …