Government launches inspection mission on illicit intercountry adoption practices
Following the French government’s commitment in February 2022 to shed light on the phenomenon of illicit intercountry adoptions from the 1980s onwards, a new step has been taken. The Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Justice (le Garde des Sceaux), and the Secretary of State to the Prime Minister in charge of children, have decided to refer the matter to the General Inspectorate of Foreign Affairs, the General Inspectorate of Justice and the General Inspectorate of Social Affairs. The aim is to identify illegal practices that have taken place in the past to prevent their reoccurrence, and to respond to the demands of adopted persons and civil society. Indeed, the associations of adopted persons and the French Adoption Agency (AFA) have asked the public authorities to document these irregularities, as far as possible, and to ensure that mechanisms are in place to prevent fraud. The results of this work are expected in six months. ChiId Identity Protection (CHIP) welcomes this new step in the recognition and prevention of illegal adoptions that deprive children of key elements of their identity and impacts their access to their origins, by obstructing the construction of their identity. CHIP encourages the establishment of mechanisms that will allow the adoptees concerned to reconnect with their family relations, which is an essential feature of their identity.
