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Romanian Orphans in Jeopardy Again: Romanian Legislators Essentially Eliminate International Adoptions

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Lee Allen
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FAX: 703-535-1901
Email: lallen@infantadopt.org

ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA, June 23, 2004 – Despite many months of pressure from the entire U.S. international adoption community and the U.S. Department of State, members of the Romanian Chamber of Deputies have voted essentially to eliminate adoptions of Romanian orphans by foreigners. If signed into law by President Ion Iliescu, as expected, the policy will effectively end international adoptions from this once adoption-friendly nation.

National Council For Adoption President Thomas Atwood, angered by the decision, said, “By caving in to the anti-adoption ideology of powers that be in the European Union, Romania is putting EU membership ahead of the welfare of Romanian children.” Under EU pressure there has been a suspension of most international adoptions from Romania since 2001, while policymakers worked on amending Romania’s child protection and adoption law.

“It is certainly appropriate to reform Romania’s intercountry adoption program, to root out actual corruption and appearances of corruption,” continued Atwood. “But in the name of ‘child protection,’ this policy goes against the best interests of children by shutting adoptions down. Romanian and EU leadership have apparently concluded that childhood without parents and family in an overcrowded Romanian orphanage is preferable to childhood with loving parents in an American family.”

NCFA and the adoption community have advocated Romanian adoption policies that focus on reform and oversight, rather than impose further restrictions and indefinite moratoriums. The U.S. State Department, too, recommended to Romanian officials that they continue to allow intercountry adoptions, while reforming their child protection and adoption laws. The State Department reports having expressed official U.S. support for policies that put children’s interests first and prefer permanent family placements to institutionalization.

Since 1989, American parents have adopted approximately 8,300 Romanian children. Americans adopted an average of 765 Romanian children per year in the five-year period preceding the precipitous drop that occurred when the suspension began in late 2001. In 2003, only 200 Romanian children were adopted by U.S. parents, out of a total of 21,616 children adopted by Americans internationally. At the very least, the Romanian government should allow adoptions to go forward for any children who have already been matched with American parents, and for any prospective parents who have already invested substantial time and money into the Romanian program.

Romanian leaders have an understandable preference for placing their country’s orphaned children with nationals. NCFA respects this preference, and accepts the policy of seeking adoptive parents domestically before turning internationally. The first, best choice for placing orphaned children is an adoptive family within their country of origin. But too often, excessive nationalist pride or anti-adoption ideology lead to the long-term institutionalization of children, who are clearly not going to be adopted domestically, but could be part of a true family through intercountry adoption.

By removing the intercountry adoption option, this policy also creates incentives that promote the reunification of Romanian orphans with families that are unable or unwilling to care for them, in conditions that can be as bad as or worse than state institutions. If signed into law, the measure will take effect on January 1, 2005.

Today, there are an estimated 40,000 orphans residing in Romania’s orphanages. As U.S. Ambassador to Romania, Michael Guest has commented, “One day, Romania will be able to take care of its own children. Right now, there are more Romanian children that are abandoned than there are Romanian families available to take care of them.” Romania should not stand in the way of its children’s enjoyment of loving, permanent families.

Atwood said, “This decision is a large step backwards toward the bad old days when Romania warehoused its most vulnerable citizens, its orphaned children, in squalid and overcrowded institutions during the infamous reign of Nicolae Ceausescu. We can only hope, for the children’s sake, that this cruel policy will be reversed in the future.”

About NCFA
Since 1980, NCFA has been a leading voice among national adoption and child welfare organizations. NCFA is a research, education, and advocacy nonprofit that provides adoption information, promotes ethical adoption practices, informs public policy and opinion about adoption issues, and serves as a resource for women with unplanned pregnancies, adopted persons and their families, those seeking to adopt, and adoption professionals.

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