Children wrongly placed in adoption system

AMSTERDAM/BRUSSELS/SOFIA - Adoption is often associated with poor countries in the global South. Yet Flanders and the Netherlands adopt children from other European countries, such as Bulgaria and Hungary. This cross-border research shows that Roma children in these countries are discriminated against and end up in the adoption system due to stigma, poverty and a lack of support for families. 

Both Flanders and the Netherlands had a study conducted on the sending countries to decide from which countries adoption would still be possible in the future. The issues of discrimination, poverty and a lack of support for families in Bulgaria and Hungary were raised several times in those screenings. Nevertheless, both countries decided not to break off the collaboration. 

The research was conducted by the weekly magazine Knack, the platform Investico, the TV programme Zembla, the Bulgarian newspaper 24chasa and the Hungarian medium Atlatszo.

Human rights organization: stop adoptions immediately (Investico, 24/06/2024)