The UNICEF factor

This is a link to the UNICEF official postion on international adoption http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41118.html . To quote this document 'For children who cannot be raised by their own families, an appropriate alternative family environment should be sought in preference to institutional care which should be used only as a last resort and as a temporary measure. Inter-country adoption is one of a range of care options which may be open to children, and for individual children who cannot be placed in a permanent family setting in their countries of origin, it may indeed be the best solution. In each case, the best interests of the individual child must be the guiding principle in making a decision regarding adoption' Why then, are we famlies who have been through all the documentation requirements, met all the qualifications, expended individual humanitarian aid to the orphanages that our children are growing up in, being denied this exact option the UNICEF stands by. Why are Hague Accredited agencies not being allowed to continue with the adoptions that are in progress. The US department of State is involved to try to get things going again but we dont know, concretely, when things will happen. Meanwhile our children are getting older and more institutionalized.

Kyrgyzstan is not part of the Hague Convention community of countries. So UNICEF in its mission has lobbied to make Kyrgystan a Hague Country. Mind you, I dont think its a bad thing at all. In the long run it will be better for the children. It just sucks that they have to get involved NOW, couldnt they have waited 6months, until Ben was home? Here is a link to the Wikipedia definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hague_Convention_on_Protection_of_Children_and_Co-operation_in_Respect_of_Intercountry_Adoption it has a pdf of the entire convention. The main objectives of the Convention are:
-to establish safeguards to ensure that intercountry adoptions take place in the best interests of the child and with respect for his or her fundamental rights as recognized in international law;
-to establish a system of co-operation amongst Contracting States to ensure that those safeguards are respected and thereby prevent the abduction, the sale of, or traffic in children;
-to secure the recognition in Contracting States of adoptions made in accordance with the Convention. I suppose my frustration is echoed by those who have gone before me when other countries have started their process to become Hague Accredited in the midst of their adoptions. I will continue to wait anxiously for news, knowing that I will hear nothing until March 20.