ISS / IRC first recalls that, in general, international adoption should not take place in a situation of war or natural disaster, given that these events make it impossible to verify the personal and family situation of children. Any operation to adopt or to evacuate children that are victims of the earthquake to another country must be absolutely avoided, as was the case during the 2004 tsunami.
However, the intercountry adoption situation in Haiti highlights a new problem: what response should be given to the multiple adoption dossiers which were in the process of being finalised before the earthquake? For children where matching has occurred and there is an adoption order (judgment), the transfer of these children to their adoptive families could be considered under the following conditions:
1) identification of the child and his/her location is secured by the necessary safeguards;
2) the psycho-social adoptability of the child (ie ability to be adopted) is re-evaluated, considering the trauma s/he might have suffered;
3) it is established that the child's dossier is complete and that the adoption order (judgment)has been delivered;
4) the diplomatic representatives of the concerned receiving countries are able to verify the actual identities, adoption dossiers and alternative care conditions of the children;
5) the Haitian authorities are duly informed and involved in the finalisation of the adoptions in question.