2024-06-18
SOFIA/BUDAPEST - When people think of adoption, they think of poor countries in the global south. However, Flanders and the Netherlands adopt children from other European countries, such as Bulgaria and Hungary. This cross-border investigation 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 have carried out a screening of sending countries in order to decide from which countries adoptions will still be possible in the future. The issues of discrimination, poverty and lack of support for families in Bulgaria and Hungary were raised several times during these screenings. However, both countries decided not to end their cooperation.
Several experts find this choice unconvincing and point to a violation of the key principle that adoption can only be used as a last resort for a child. Bulgaria and Hungary are not fulfilling their obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child to support families so that the child can grow up with them. Surprisingly, these elements were not a red line for Flanders and the Netherlands in their decision.
Human rights organisation: stop adoptions immediately (Investico, 24/06/2024)
Foto: © AFP via Getty Images
Supported
€15,320 allocated on 11/03/2024 and 21/06/2024ID
LOCAL/2024/023 & LOCAL/2024/027Grant
DOCUMENTARY
- Adoptiebedrog, het einde?, Zembla, 23/06/2024.
PRINT/ONLINE
- Onbegrijpelijk dat Vlaanderen doorgaat met adoptie uit Hongarije en Bulgarije, Knack, 22/06/2024.
- Ondanks stop blijft er voor vijfhonderd ouders hoop op adoptiekind, Trouw, 22/06/2024.
- Nederland adopteert kinderen uit Hongarije, hoewel er behoorlijk wat mis lijkt, Trouw, 22/06/2024
- Een kind van de puszta, De Groene Amsterdammer, 26/06/2024.
- Защо социалните служби отнеха двете деца на Сийка?, 24chasa, 24/06/2024.
- Az egészséges fehér babák itthon maradnak, a többi magyar gyerek egy része csak külföldön talál otthonra, Atlatszo, 24/06/2024.
- Healthy white babies stay in Hungary while some children only find homes abroad, Atlatszo, 01/07/2024.
- Hoe Hongarije kinderen weghaalt bij arme ouders, MO*, 10/12/2025.
- Waarom Romakinderen vaker uit hun gezin weggehaald worden, MO*, 31/03/2025.
- In Portugal worden vooral kinderen met zorgnoden aangeboden voor interlandelijke adoptie, MO*, 09/06/2025
PODCAST
- Je kind kwijt omdat je arm bent, misstanden bij adopties uit Hongarije, Investico, 22/06/2024.
IMPACT
- Mensenrechtenorganisaties: stop onmiddellijk met adopties, Investico, 24/06/2024
COUNTRIES
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Hungary
- Netherlands
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