Adoption Issues

International Adoption Policy Positions

International Adoption Policy Statement and Supporting Report:

       Endorsed by 7 organizations to date:             

Endorsed by 132 faculty members and related legal professionals to date:

To Join the Campaign to Endorse the Policy Statement :

American Bar Association Recommendation on International Adoption, adopted by House of Delegates August 11, 2008, and Supporting Report

International Adoption Statistics, 1994-2013, click here.

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearing on Unparented Children and Related International Adoption Policies, Nov. 6, 2009, Presentation by HLS CAP and Center for Adoption Policy, click here.

Multiethnic Placement Act Enforcement Decisions, click here.

The Way Forward Project Report, Nov. 8, 2011, click here.

Adoption News: Interviews, Editorials, Press Releases

Julia Mas-Guindal, Elizabeth Bartholet Interview on the challenges facing international adoption, Parts 1 and 2, Harv. Hum. Rts. J., http://harvardhrj.com/2012/10/elizabeth-bartholet-interview-part-i/ (last visited June 4, 2013), http://harvardhrj.com/2012/10/elizabeth-bartholet-interview-part-ii/ (last visited June 4, 2013).

Stephen Beale, UNICEF Blamed for Decline in International Adoptions, National Catholic Register Daily News, May 22, 2013. Click here to read.

Elizabeth Bartholet  “The Future Of Adoption: International And Domestic,” NPR, On Point with Tom Ashbrook, February 6, 2013 http://onpoint.wbur.org/2013/02/06/adoption

Violations do occur in international adoption industry, but shutting down a country’s entire program does disservice to children; an editorial responding to below article “The Painful New Realities of International Adoption,” The Globe and Mail, March 4, 2012. Click here to read.

Tralee Pearce, The painful new realities of international adoption, The Globe and Mail Feb. 17, 2012. Click here to read.

Andrea Poe, an editorial “Why I won’t buy UNICEF holiday cards,” The Washington Times Communities, Dec. 5, 2011.  Click here to read.

Elizabeth Bartholet's writings on International Adoption referenced in TDH Ontario’s July 2011 quarterly newsletter. Click here to read the newsletter.

Elizabeth Bartholet “Left in limbo: Nepalese adoptions halted,” An Interview with Habiba Nosheen and Lisa Desai, Need to Know on PBS, May 6, 2011 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/need-to-know/video/video-left-in-limbo-nepalese-adoptions-halted/9158/

Elizabeth Bartholet "Should the U.S. Ratify the CRC? A Look at the Pros and Cons," An Interview with Stephanie Marudas, February 23, 2011

Elizabeth Bartholet "How to Prevent Adoption Disasters," NYTimes Room for Debate blog, April 15, 2010

Elizabeth Bartholet "Haiti's Children and the Adoption Question," NYTimes Room for Debate blog, February 1, 2010

Elizabeth Bartholet and Paulo Barrozo "Amid Disaster, Haitian Orphans Find Homes," NPR-online, January 21, 2010

Elizabeth Bartholet "Celebrity Adoptions and the Real World," NYTimes Room for Debate blog, May 10, 2009

"Save the Children from Save the Children," Joint Press Release on Madonna's Second Adoption and Related International Adoption Issues, April 2009

Documentary Films

Paul Feine, "Abandoned in Guatemala: The Failure of International Adoption Policies," October 2011. Click here to view. See also Andrea Poe, “Drew Carey's Reason -- TV program casts spotlight on UNICEF's role in decreased numbers of adoption in Guatemala,” The Washington Times Communities, 10/18/2011

The Dark Matter of Love,” documentary by Sarah McCarthy on child-parent relationships, showing the difficulties of adopting children raised in state institutions.  To see trailer, http://www.thedarkmatteroflove.com/trailer.html

Racial Disproportionality Recent Press

Ben Baeder, "Studies: Disproportionate Number of Black Children Wind Up in L.A. Foster Care," DailyNews.com, March 23, 2013. Click here for link to DailyNews website. Click here to read pdf.