International adoption and child protection in Guatemala

Abstract

English Guatemala’s culture and history as well as its role as a major sending country for intercountry adoption are used as a context for discussing how intercountry adoption has influenced and affected the child protection system. A model for child protection development is offered. French La culture et l’histoire du Guatemala, aussi bien que son rôle en tant qu’important pays pourvoyeur d’enfants destinés à l’adoption internationale, sont utilisés comme contexte pour discuter la question de savoir en quoi ces données ont influencé et ont affecté le système de protection de l’enfance. Un modèle pour le développement de la protection de l’enfance est proposé. Spanish La cultura de Guatemala y su historia, así como su papel como el país de mayores envíos para la adopción entre países, es utilizada como contexto para discutir cómo es que ha influido y afectado el sistema de protección infantil. Se propone un modelo para el desarrollo de la protección infantil.

Beyond Study Abroad: A Human Rights Delegation to Teach Policy Advocacy

“…Guatemala also became a source of child trafficking under the disguise of some intercountry adoptions. This underscored the obligation of reciprocity in global social work practice and was further reinforced for delegates who learned about Guatemala's history of highly irregular and illegal adoptions (Bunkers, Groza, & Lauer, 2009;Gresham, Nackerud, & Risler, 2004;Rotabi, Morris, & Weil, 2008). Since 1998, approximately 30,000 Guatemalan children have been adopted in the United States (U.S, Department of State, n,d.).…”

Group and Child–Family Migration from Central America to the United States: Forced Child–Family Separation, Reunification, and Pseudo Adoption in the Era of Globalization

“…The armed conflicts and natural disasters in El Salvador and Guatemala promoted the historical rise in intercountry adoptions from Latin America (Bromfield and Rotabi 2012;Bunkers et al 2009;Rotabi 2007;Selman 2012). The limited legal and social protections for mothers and families in those countries appeared to have contributed to the neglect or abandonment of their children (Goldschmidt 1986) and to the preference of international adoption as a "quick solution" (Roby et al 2013).…”

Ethnic and adoption attitudes among Guatemalan University students

“…In 2007 at the peak of Guatemala’s role as a sending country, one percent of the babies born in Guatemala were being relinquished for adoption by foreigners, mostly from the United States (Selman 2012). Reports of child theft, sale, and trafficking roused international consternation (Bunkers and Groza 2012; Comisión Internacional Contra la Impunidad en Guatemala, CICIG 2010; Goicoechea and Degeling 2007; Rotabi 2012; Rotabi et al 2008) and subsequently, one case of child abduction for ICA was proven with DNA testing (“Bebé Robada” 2008; Bunkers et al 2009). In 2008, Guatemala implemented the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, known as the Hague Convention (Hague Conference on Private International Law 1993).…”

“…The Guatemalan law reads: “International adoption can only proceed after appropriate consideration of possibilities for national (domestic) adoption” (Congreso de la República de Guatemala 2007; Equipo de Investigación 2008). Because formal adoption among Guatemalans has been extremely rare in the past (Bunkers et al 2009) additional ways of promoting and facilitating domestic adoption must be pursued. A step towards this goal is identifying the barriers, both procedural and attitudinal, to domestic adoption of children.…”

“…Some of the barriers to domestic adoption in Guatemala are societal and structural—widespread poverty, a high birth rate, and lack of knowledge or publicity about the legal requirements and procedures for adopting (Bunkers et al 2009; Gibbons et al 2009; Wilson and Gibbons 2005). The lack of information about the adoption process is currently being addressed by the CNA; this entity has initiated efforts to promote domestic adoption and to educate the public through a website, facebook page, and free seminars and workshops aimed at prospective adoptive parents.…”