International adoption can be a confusing and overwhelming process. It seems as every country has slightly different requirements and regulations on who can adopt and what children are adoptable. Some countries are part of The Hague Convention, the intent of which is to provide safeguards for the adoptive parties involved, to ensure that the adoption process is ethical and in the best interests of the child. It also adds safeguards against child abduction and trafficking.
Adoption from Ukraine is slightly different. The Ukrainian citizens do have priority to adopt the children in their country, but according to this news article, “There are more than 106,000 living in orphanages across Ukraine, and only 8% of them can be adopted. Others formally have parents or guardians.” This is a hard statistic. So many children are living in orphanages, unable to be adopted, living without a family.
A bill was recently, again, brought before the Ukrainian people’s deputies. The law would have simplified international adoption of the children and ensured the best interests of many who are waiting to be adopted by becoming part of the Convention. It would have provided assurance and attainment to the Convention for the protection of children.
But the draft law did not pass and obtained only 166 of the 226 needed votes. This was the seventh time it did not pass.
Why has it not passed so many times? Some deputies expressed concern that same-sex couples would be able to adopt once in the Convention. Even with information given to them about how they would still have control of adoptions and the accredited organizations they would work with, it was still denied.
International adoption is still possible in Ukraine if the child has been registered for nearly a year and is over five years old, according to a news article. However, the passing of this law would have streamlined the procedure and improved their overall adoption system and more importantly, provide more homes for children.
