Can UNICEF facilitate the adoption of children orphaned by the tsunami?
In conflict and other emergency situations, UNICEF operates on the principle that no child should be adopted abroad unless it is firmly established that he or she has no parents, relatives or community members willing and able to care for the child. In this respect, our efforts to trace families continue for at least two years. We do this because we know from our extensive experience that children who are separated from their families in emergencies are not necessarily orphans. Our experience also shows that in the midst of conflict and disaster, children are highly vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous individuals looking to make profit, often posing as adoption agents. We are strong supporters of existing international standards designed to protect children from unscrupulous adoptions. In addition, all affected countries have their own laws and regulations regarding adoption.
