Experts from Moldova and other states share adoption-related experience

Experts from Moldova and other countries exchange experience in the area of adoption and children’s rights protection. At the opening of the seminar on April 21, the Minister of Social Protection, Family and Child Galina Balmos said that the adoption is one of the most important forms of protecting the orphans, reason for which the staff working in the area should benefit from continuous training and the legislation should be adjusted to the changing times, Info-Prim Neo reports. The seminar will last by April 23. It is conducted by the representative of the International Social Service Organization Herve Boechat and the international expert in children’s rights Nigel Contwell. Sixty specialists are taking part in the debates. Some of the participants said that the number of international adoptions should be limited owing to the higher risks related to trafficking in children and organs. In this connection, officials of the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child said that a new amendment bill is being drafted to modify the legislation and maximally reduce the related risks. Only associations authorized to work in Moldova will be involved in international adoptions. According to Eugenia Goncear, the head of the adoptions division of the mentioned ministry, said that the children in Moldova can be adopted by foreigners only if an adoptive family for them is not found in the country during half a year. About 100 children were adopted by parents from other countries in 2007. The number of adoptions in Moldova totaled 353. Out of these, 180 cases refer to adoption “from the second husband”. According to the cited source, most of the children that are adopted by foreigners suffer from health problems. Only 15 of the Moldovan children adopted by foreign parents in 2007 were somatically healthy. The seminar’s participants consider that the children are abandoned because parents are irresponsible, not because of poverty, as it is usually thought to be. There are 600 children that are eligible for adoption in Moldova at present. But they are not adopted due to their age. Most of the families want children younger than 6. Under the national legislation, from the age of 10, the children have the right to express their opinion about the adoption. The training course on adoption is organized by UNICEF and the Ministry of Social Protection, Family and Child.