The International Social Service (ISS) has launched its Manifesto For Ethical Intercountry Adoption. Whilst international texts set out an essential legal framework for the respect of children’s rights in intercountry adoption matters - in practice at each step of the adoption process - difficult choices and decisions must be made, with a myriad of conflicting interests. Adding to these challenges is the ever-changing landscape of intercountry adoptions, for example as seen with the profiles of children being proposed for adoption (i.e.: more with special needs) as well as the influx of new technologies.
It is for such reasons that ISS has prepared this Manifesto to highlight the considerations that, in one way or another, appeal to the practitioner’s sense of ethics. Long considered a private matter, then a mainly legal process, intercountry adoption has always raised moral issues. Building specifically on the underlying principles of the 1993 Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, the Manifesto seeks to promote ethical practices by all adoption stakeholders to better protect children, whether in the receiving country or country of origin, including inter alia, biological parents, adoptive parents, professionals and government representatives.
The Manifesto invites intercountry adoption stakeholders to reflect on the fundamental issues involved in adoption ethics. The considerations proposed are based on both applicable international standards as well as on multiple missions completed by members of the ISS/IRC team in countries of origin.
ISS encourages professionals to consider the Manifesto in their work as well as disseminate it among their networks, to ensure that intercountry adoption is truly a child protection measure used only in the best interests of each child.
The Manifesto is available in English, French and Spanish, downloadable in Flip book versions. For further information, visit www.iss-ssi.org