Illegal adoption practices continue to be revealed all around the globe, causing States to take responsibility for thousands of children over many decades.

From the 1950s-2000s, there have been reports that children from Chile were trafficked to be adopted abroad. In January 2023, the Plenary of the Chamber of Deputies and Deputies approved establishment of the “Commission for Truth, Justice, and Reparation for Victims and Relatives of Irregular Adoptions.” To investigate the irregularities of over 20,000 cases of adoptions of Chilean children, with a view of creating reparation mechanism and reuniting family members.

In Norway, the government plans to investigate illegal adoptions from the 1970s/1980s in Sri Lanka. Reports indicate that in 2017 Sri Lankan authorities admitted that 11,000 Sri Lankan babies may have been adopted illegally into Norway. It seems that in the 1970s, Sri Lanka had several “baby farms” by the mafia that sold minors to European couples, providing them with false papers.

Child Identity Protection (CHIP) hopes that States – both receiving and of origin -  will continue their efforts to restore missing identity elements and family reunification.

Sources: https://www.camara.cl/legislacion/sala_sesiones/votacion_detalle.aspx?prmIdVotacion=40110 & https://www.subela.cl/news/2023/1/12/lqzj6mrz90n3lepczeb977kadg3a6m & https://www.asianews.it/news-en/Norway-to-investigate-illegal-adoptions-from-Sri-Lanka,-up-to-11,000-children-may-be-involved-57586.html