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Bulgaria's disturbing baby market

By Rosie Goldsmith

BBC Radio 4's Crossing Continents

As Bulgaria prepares to join the EU, there are certain issues it has to tackle, not least its murky underworld where even babies are for sale.

The selling of babies is a growing business across Eastern Europe

Countries: Greece, Bulgaria

Ninos bolivianos son vendidos para adopción ilegal - Bolivian children are sold for illegal adoption

Niños bolivianos son vendidos para adopción ilegal Bolivian children are sold for illegal adoption
Viernes 18 de Febrero de 2005 Friday February 18 2005
Sociedad Society
Bolivia Bolivia

(NoticiaCristiana.com) (Adital) La Paz, Bolivia, La gravedad del problema del tráfico de niños en Bolivia está preocupando a la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU).(NoticiaCristiana.com) (Adital) La Paz, Bolivia, the severity of the problem of child trafficking in Bolivia are of concern to the United Nations (UN). Según el Comité de los Derechos del Niño de la ONU la Convención en relación al tema ya cuenta con la adhesión de 192 Estados, pero en Bolivia aún hay 18 agencias internacionales de adopción sin ningún tipo de control legal.According to the Committee on the Rights of the Child Convention on the topic and is supported by 192 States, but Bolivia still has 18 adoption agencies without any legal control. Otra preocupación es el tráfico de niños para fines de explotación económica. Another concern is the trafficking of children for purposes of economic exploitation.

Dentro del propio país existe el tráfico ya que los niños son utilizados muchas veces para el trabajo doméstico y el gobierno no se esfuerza lo suficiente para erradicar las formas de trabajo infantil. Within the country there is traffic because children are often used for domestic work and the government does not strive sufficiently to eliminate forms of child labor. Los expertos de la ONU también alertan para el problema de la discriminación sobre la población indígena de menores, cuyos índices de deserción escolar, mortalidad infantil y familias que no acceden a los servicios básicos de salud son mayores del resto de la población infantil. UN experts also alerted to the problem of discrimination on the indigenous population of children, whose dropout rates, infant mortality and families do not have access to basic health services are greater in the rest of the child population.

Las organizaciones de derechos humanos piden una legislación de justicia juvenil que fije en 18 años la edad para juzgar a un joven con los códigos de adultos. Human rights organizations call for a juvenile justice legislation that set at age 18 years to judge a young adult with the codes.Un documento de la ONU afirma que en Bolivia persisten adopciones ilegales, explotación económica y sexual de menores, discriminación de facto hacia la población infantil de las poblaciones indígenas, discapacitados y en las zonas rurales, perdurando la violencia policial contra los menores. A document of the UN states that persist in illegal adoptions in Bolivia, economic and sexual exploitation of children, de facto discrimination toward the children of indigenous people, disabled and rural areas, continued police violence against minors.

El propio gobierno, en la persona de la viceministra de la Niñez y Juventud, Elisabeth Patiño, reconoció a la prensa del país que la falta de normas y un adecuado control policial alienta en Bolivia el tráfico de niños por parte de "mafias bien organizadas". The government, representedby the Deputy Minister of Children and Youth, Elisabeth Patiño, acknowledged to the press that the country's lack of standards and adequate policing in Bolivia encourages the trafficking of children by "well-organized mafias" . Sólo en La Paz y en la ciudad de El Alto desaparecieron en 2004 300 niños. Only in La Paz and El Alto city disappeared in 2004 300 children.

Incluso hace dos años fue descubierta una "casa de engorde" donde bebés de pocos meses de vida nacidos en hogares pobres eran alimentados para su posterior adopción ilegal. Even two years ago was discovered a "fattening house" where babies born a few months of living in poor households were fed for subsequent illegal adoption. Esas organizaciones compran niños por unos pocos pesos a sus progenitores y los venden en dólares, evitando los trámites que se requieren para una adopción legal. These organizations buy children for a few pesos to their parents and sold in dollars, avoiding the formalities required for a legal adoption. Entre el 2002 y 2003 unos 313 niños fueron adoptados por familias extranjeras legalmente, pero Patiño estima que las adopciones ilegales son mucho mayores. Between 2002 and 2003 some 313 children were legally adopted by foreign families, but Patino believes that illegal adoptions are much greater.

Un ejemplo publicado en la prensa boliviana cuenta el caso de una joven que vendió a su hija de dos meses por un poco más de dos dólares. An example published in the Bolivian press has for a young man who sold his daughter for two months by a little over two dollars. El bebé pasó a manos de la "mafia" de tráfico de niños, que extiende certificados de nacimiento falsos; y hace el contacto con agencias ilegales de adopción internacional. The baby was taken over by the "mafia" of child trafficking, which spreads false birth certificates, and makes contact with illegal international adoption agencies.

Se estima que esta actividad ilegal es la tercera más lucrativa en el país, luego del tráfi It is estimated that this illegal activity is the third most lucrative in the country, after the traffic

co de drogas y el de armas. co drug and arms. Un informe de la ONG Child Rights Information Network denuncia el secuestro de bebés; la sustracción a cargo de niñeras; la identificación de madres vulnerables para incitarlas a renunciar a su hijo; engaño a la madre haciéndole creer que su bebé nació muerto; y madres que venden a su hijo. A report by the NGO Child Rights Information Network denounces the abduction of babies; theft by nannies, identification of vulnerable mothers to encourage them to relinquish their child to the mother misled into believing that her baby was stillborn, and mothers sold to his son.

A raíz de estos casos, Bolivia ratificó la Convención de La Haya que regula las adopciones internacionales, pero no se han tenido muchos resultados. Following these cases, Bolivia ratified the Hague Convention that governs international adoptions, but they have not had many results. El tráfico con fines de explotación laboral y sexual también viene creciendo. Trafficking for labor and sexual exploitation is also growing. Según la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones, las salidas de niños al extranjero se incrementaron de 47 mil en 2000 a 161 mil en 2003, quienes viajan principalmente a Argentina y Brasil para trabajar en pésimas condiciones. According to the International Organization for Migration, the outputs of children abroad increased from 47 thousand in 2000 to 161 thousand in 2003, those who travel primarily to Argentina and Brazil to work in appalling conditions.

Countries: Bolivia

Danut, orphan requested by the Spanish, no longer can stay in Madirjac

Danut, orphan requested by the Spanish, no longer can stay in Madirjac

Publishing date: 17/02/2005
Danut, orphan of Madirjac called in and won the adoption of a Spanish family, was lost at roulette documents. Since the Department of Social filed late appeal against the decision of the Court to give a little adoption, the Court of Appeal had to beat fate nails in children. This will leave Spain when the adoptive family will be present at the gate "mother" who grew up now.

Last chance to remain as Danut Madirjac was that the DAS is to win at the Court of Appeal, appeal against the decision which the Court approved the adoption. If you would have tried this process, nobody knows how many chances would have been the boy to remain in the country. But it was even a chance. But the process has been lost even before the case got to be discussed. "The Court has granted a period of 3 days except for the introduction of appeal in the case of orphan Madirjac and lawyers from DAS knew that the term was used 15 days, which led to tardivitatea action at the Court of Appeal, the bearer of said word from the DAS, Eliza Mandiuc Chirica. The judges at the Court of Appeal rejected the contestation and the performance made by representatives of DAS. They cerusera practically suspended during the appeal trial of the procedure of entrusting the new kid his family established in Segovia, Spain. But because lawyers have intirziiat of incognizant cause in filing the last action that may have you forever in Iasi on Danut, prosecuting magistrates dismissed the appeal from the start without any further discussion in depth of the case.

"I will hide in the closet of Spanish"

The Court of Appeals was the last hope of the new "parents" from Madirjac to have little further in their yard. "He taught us so much incitement think we will never forget," said Maria Trifan, maternal assistant who took little care in following two years. Moreover, the little boy in the age of only 4 years old in the beginning to keep "the teeth" for his new family. His mother and has hopes in the new elected president of Romania, Traian Basescu: "The president went Basescu. Maybe he does not give the child to Spanish for only Nastase wanted him to leave her. And all this he said that Danut threatened that "I will hide in the closet of Spaniards" if you will have to leave their family.

The child was lost in abstraction

The struggle for justice in Danut started after one year. At the onset of demand for family adoption Spanish Juan Esteban Alba (43 years) and Lopez Herrero Maria de los Remedios (40 years) in the spring of 2004, social workers from Iasi were part of their superiors because of capital avizasera the foreigners. After the court found that the documents were old Spanish almost five years, and in May they had adopted a little different from Ukraine, DAS is returned and began to fight against the Spanish. To impress the court fund, the social Off the "mother" in Madirjac's Danut a statement it launched its promise to adopt a little. But this move was not enough for judges to decide the child leaving Madirjac. Especially since Spanish is the time between refacusera and prezentasera emotional and financial guarantees that indestulatoare the Iasi court to give him the boy. According to documents submitted to the file, the court decided the merits of child custody by family Madirjac Spanish lasind DAS at the last portion of an escape, an appeal in three days. But it lost the last chance to keep the boy more than the listlessness of impotence.

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Danut, orfanul cerut de spanioli, nu mai are ce cauta in Madirjac

Data publicarii: 17/02/2005

Countries: Romania, Spain

Persons: Elena Bustea (Ileana Bustea) aka Elena Bustea Carselli

Rechter buigt zich over mislukte adoptie - Congo

Rechter buigt zich over mislukte adoptie

OUDENAARDE/ GERAARDSBERGEN - Het parket van Oudenaarde heeft een 48-jarige man van Congolese afkomst voor de correctionele rechtbank gedaagd omdat hij zonder de nodige erkenning zou bemiddeld hebben bij een adoptie. De man, die in Geraardsbergen woont, ontkent de beschuldiging met klem. Een gezin uit Geraardsbergen, dat zich na het mislukken van de adoptie burgerlijke partij stelde, eist een schadevergoeding van 16.500 euro.

Nadat een adoptiepoging via Kind & Gezin geen soelaas bracht, kwam een koppel uit Geraardsbergen op café toevallig in contact met de beklaagde. ,,Hij stelde zich voor als voorzitter van een adoptievereniging in

Congo

en hij verzekerde mijn cliënten dat hij hen kon helpen'', lichtte de verdediging toe.

Countries: Democratic Republic of The Congo

Organizations: Vlaamse Centrale Autoriteit Adoptie (Kind en Gezin) - Belgium

Adozioni Romania: "Violata la Convenzione ONU dell´89".

Statement by the Italian association Amici dei Bambini (Friends of Children) concerning adoption in Romania - 1989 UN Convention breached

Amici dei Bambini has lodged a petition with the Geneva Committee on the Rights of the Child concerning the new Romanian law on the protection of minors that entered into force on 1 January 2005. This law effectively bans international adoptions. The petition was drawn up on the basis of a memorandum prepared by the Milan-based Studio Legale Santa Maria, which is one of the leading European law firms in the field of international law and is acting for Amici dei Bambini on a pro bono basis in this crucial battle for human rights. "The law in question," notes the memorandum, "does not appear to comply with a child's fundamental right to have a family, as laid down in the International Convention on the Rights of the Child concluded in New York on 20 November 1989."

Technically, the Geneva Committee has the power to act on Amici dei Bambini's submission and ask the Romanian government to draft a new law that really guarantees children's rights.

The Romanian government unanimously approved last June a bill drawn up following sustained pressure from the EU, which called for comprehensive legislative reform in Romania to align it on EU countries. In practice, the law restricts international adoption to foreign?based grandparents of a child (see detailed account at annex), i.e. to blood relatives.

Organizations: Amici dei Bambini, Unicef New York

Countries: Romania

The rights of children in institutions: follow-up to Recommendation 1601 (2003) of the Parliamentary Assembly

International Dove Ball to Honor Child Advocates

International Advocates for Children is holding its second International Dove Ball on February 5, 2005 at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Atlanta, Georgia at 6:30 p.m. Child advocate and actress Jane Russell and Dutch State Parliament Member Maarten Brekelmans will be honored for thier efforts in working with orphaned and abandoned children.

(PRWEB) January 20, 2005 -- The International Dove Ball slated for February 5, 2005, at the Ritz-Carlton in downtown Atlanta at 6:30 p.m. will host a slew of attendees from politicians to CEOs to the citys socialites. The A-list includes Hollywood screen legend and adoptive parent Jane Russell along with Dutch State Parliament Member Maarten Brekelmans who are also serving as the Honorary Chairs for the event for their dedication to child advocacy.

Since the 1950s, Russell has facilitated the adoptive placement of nearly 38,000 children through her organization WAIF, which pioneered the adoption of children from foreign countries by American families and also helped match foster children in the US with permanent families. Adoption is one of the most important things in the world," says Russell an adoptive mother of two children.

Brekelmans echoes Russells sentiment and has also witnessed the need of parentless children first hand. After retiring a few years ago, he has dedicated his time to traveling through many countries mentoring and working with orphaned children -- children whose greatest desire is to have a family of their own.

The International Dove Ball will feature dinner, music, and both silent and live auctions. Proceeds from this event will go towards funding International Advocates for Childrens (IAC) initiatives. IAC, is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization, focused solely on protecting the rights of orphaned and abandoned children worldwide. The organization offers assistance to governments to build more efficient systems that will best serve children in need of loving and safe homes. For additional information on IAC, please visit www.iachildren.org. For tickets, volunteer and sponsorship opportunities please call Executive Director Lynda Lee Smith at 678-893-7470 .

Persons: Jane Russell, Maarten Brekelmans, Lynda Smith (Lynda Lee Smith)

Organizations: International Advocates for Children

A One-Woman War Against Intercountry Adoption

By DIANE KUNZ and ANN REESE

February 4, 2005

Almost fifteen years ago the plight of Romania's abandoned children shocked the world. The crazed schemes of dictator Nicolae Ceausescu had doomed hundreds of thousands of children to a life in orphanages which were little more than warehouses. Spurred by televised images of caged children, and tales of AIDS spread among children in state care through forced blood transfusions, the world rallied to help these smallest victims of totalitarian excess. Financial aid and personal volunteers flowed into the country. Thousands of children were given permanent families by people who saw them as citizens of the world in need of nurturing homes, not as property of a sovereign state.

Time passed, and the world's attention turned to new, more immediate crises. With the spotlight removed, the children once again became pawns in a political process.

Countries: United States of America, Romania

Organizations: Lobby to Re-open Romanian Adoptions (2001- ), European Parliament

Persons: Barones Emma Nicholson to Winterbourne, Diane B. Kunz