Following a six-year inquiry into Irish mother and baby homes, the Irish government has announced its plans for a redress scheme to compensate mothers and children who were placed in mother-and-baby homes in the early 20th century. The government estimates...

The Human Rights Council (HRC) will dedicate its next annual full-day meeting on the rights of the child to take place in March 2022 on the theme “the rights of the child and family reunification”. As per usual practice, it...

Following the Dutch report in January 2021 placing a moratorium on intercountry adoptions, there is now a focus on the loopholes in the receiving State – in particular related to recognition of questionable birth certificates. It seems that at the...

Each year, in its report “State of the World’s Children (SOWC)”, UNICEF tackles a key issue affecting children. On the eve of the Covid-19 pandemic, UNICEF dedicated its 2021 SOWC to the issue of child mental health. The pandemic has...

Several UN agencies issued a joint statement calling for greater protection and a comprehensive regional approach for Haitians on the move, including accompanied and unaccompanied and separated children. Indeed, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR),...

Intercountry adoptee voices (ICAV) interviewed seven individuals, adopted between 4 months to 4 years old. They are advising professionals on how to become more aware and understanding when working with adoptees. The adoptees share how they experience lifelong issues of...

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights recently published a practical guide on how to protect family unity and reunification more effectively in human mobility and mixed movement contexts during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The guide recommends a series of measures...

Voices of children have been given a significant role, impacting the conversations of 2021 Day of General Discussion dedicated to Children’s Rights and Alternative care over the two days. Child Identity Protection (CHIP) would like to contribute to the diffusion...

To date, the focus on achieving the SDGs has been on the role of public international law. The role of private international law in contributing to the SDGs has been absent, until the launch of this excellent publication in September...

The Belgian Flemish Family Minister is suggesting to the government to suspend intercountry adoption in Flanders (Flemish part of the country) for 2 years in order to reform the Flemish adoption system. This is based on the report of a...