This joint statement was issued while the question of illegal intercountry adoptions is being raised in several countries, with an increasing number of adoptees discovering inconsistencies or errors in their adoption process, and that stories they had been told about their origins and the reasons for their adoptions were fake.
The experts called on States to fulfill their duty to prevent illegal intercountry adoption by promulgating and implementing laws, policies and other necessary measures concerning the adoption process.
They underscored that the best interests of the child shall always be the paramount consideration in all adoption cases. “States shall especially enable children to express their views and ensure that these views are given due weight in accordance with their age and maturity in all judicial and administrative proceedings concerning an intercountry adoption decision.”
