Brazil prepares guidance booklet for people adopted by foreigners

Brazil prepares guidance booklet for people adopted by foreigners

20/03/2013 02:55 - Portal Brasil

In partnership with various agencies, the Secretariat for Human Rights of the Presidency of the Republic (SDH/PR) has established the forms in which people adopted by foreigners can access data regarding their origin. A booklet is to be produced with guidelines on the subject. A meeting on the issue took place on Monday (March 18) afternoon at the SDH/PR headquarters in Brasilia.

According to George Lima, Chief of the National Office for Protection of Child and Adolescent Rights (which is linked to the SDH/PR), there are 14 cases of persons, adopted as children in the 1980s, seeking information on the process and their biological families. 13 of these people are in Israel and one is in the United States.

The idea is for consulates or embassies to serve as an initial point of contact. The booklets will include information on how to proceed with the application and will be made available at these locations. This material is expected to be approved in 15 days. In addition, consular officials will be responsible for providing assistance.

Thereafter, the various agencies of the Brazilian State and civil society become involved in providing the requested information. The Federal Public Defender has also made its professionals available for cases in which applicants are unable to pay the costs of the process.

"We want to create a channel to reduce the difficulty of accessing this data. Many don't even speak the Portuguese language," said Lima.

Source: Secretariat for Human Rights of the Presidency of the Republic