Report on Ethiopia delegation – December 2011
Report on Ethiopia delegation – December 2011
Officers from this Department travelled to Ethiopia from 24 October until 6 November 2011 to assess the ongoing ethics and viability of the Program under the new Program arrangements; investigate how the Program is operating in practice; and strengthen relationships with key Ethiopian Government Departments and Authorities.
Some aspects of the program are operating well. Other aspects of the program continue to present challenges.
Australia Program Office
The delegation visited the Australia Program Office, which has been operational for over 6 months, and met with all Australia Program staff. It was clear that the Australian Representative, Woz Lemlem Fesseha, and her team have been working very hard to match families with children referred to the Program, manage their adoption cases though the various Ethiopian authorities, research potential partner orphanages and assist with post adoption searching. We would like to acknowledge their very hard work and passionate dedication to assisting Australian families.
The delegation also had valuable frank conversations with our Africa Advisor regarding orphanages and providing orphanage support, development assistance obligations and working with the Ethiopian Government.
Background Checking Process
The delegation is pleased to report that the background checking process is working well and a lot more information is being provided about the children and their circumstances. There is also a greater emphasis on making sure that each birth family has full and accurate information about intercountry adoption before providing their consent. Recently two birth families decided not to relinquish their children once Australia Program staff had explained the permanent nature of intercountry adoption to them.
Transition Home
The delegation visit coincided with several families travelling to be united with their children. The delegation was delighted to participate in the coffee ceremony where the older children sing and dance to farewell the adopted child. New guidelines for taking custody of children were developed.
Current Program Orphanage
The delegation visited the Program’s partner orphanage which operates out of two locations: ‘Tesfa’ in Addis Ababa and ‘Abdi Waq’ in Weliso. These names are regional translations for ‘Hope’.
Orphanage facilities at both locations were clean and brightly coloured. There were ample outdoor play areas including ‘jungle gyms’ and play equipment. The children appeared to be healthy, clean and happy.
Meetings with Government
The delegation met with a number of relevant Ethiopian Government Departments and Authorities in Addis Ababa and Mekele in Tigray. Both the Federal and Regional level governments are focusing on providing community-based care for orphaned and vulnerable children. This is consistent with the Ethiopian ‘Alternative Childcare Guidelines’ and the Subsidiarity Principle in the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co?operation in respect of Intercountry Adoption. Both acknowledge it is preferable for children to remain in their community where it is appropriate, safe and possible for them to do so.
Development Assistance
Both the Federal and Regional level governments emphasised the importance of providing development assistance. As previously announced on this website, the Program has provided funding for a project to assist street children delivered through Retrak. This contribution was acknowledged favourably by both the Ethiopian Government and Retrak.
However, during discussions with many orphanages it was clear they had an expectation that the Program would fund further development projects delivered by that orphanage. It is very common for charitable bodies to be concurrently providing aid, sponsorship programs and facilitating adoptions which is not consistent with how the Australia Program operates. Appropriately separating the provision of aid and the adoption process remains difficult.
Potential Future Program Orphanages
The Program will only work with orphanages in which we can have trust and confidence and where orphanage directors agree to receive orphanage support payments which are formal, fixed and transparent amounts to meet the reasonable costs of caring for children in care. Identifying such orphanages is proving challenging.
The delegation considered and met with a number of potential partner orphanages during the visit but has not yet entered into working arrangements with any additional orphanages. A potential new program orphanage was identified subject to the local government granting permission for the program to operate in its region.
http://www.ag.gov.au/www/agd/agd.nsf/Page/Intercountry_AdoptionWhats_New