Moratorium on international adoptions in Kyrgyzstan may soon be lifted
Parliament has approved amendments to the Family Code, all for the president and government
Erica Marat Friday, April 15, 2011
Photo VOA
On Thursday, April 14 the Kyrgyz parliament approved a bill on amending the Family Code of the country, which would eliminate the two-year moratorium on international adoptions. Now turn to the president of Kyrgyzstan Roza Otunbayeva and government. In that case, if she would sign the law and the government will their amendment, the moratorium will be formally withdrawn, and 65 U.S. families waiting for their adoptive children from Kyrgyzstan will be able to complete the adoption process.Recall that international adoptions were suspended in February 2009 by former Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan Igor Chudinov. As wrote the Voice of America, since American adoptive families and the U.S. State Department attempted to persuade the Kyrgyz side to bring the adoption process to the end.During the moratorium two children adopted by American parents have died - presumably due to the lack of adequate medical care.President Otunbayeva supports lifting the moratorium, she is aware of the trials, which had to deal with foster families in the U.S.. "I get letters from all 65 families on their page Facebook», - said the president of one of the adoptive families during a visit to Washington in March. However, it also noted that while the parliament does not adopt the amendments to the legislation, its ability to influence the process are limited.Foster families and Kyrgyz politicians look to the future with cautious optimism. According to the deputy Damir Niyazalievoy that throughout this time, advocated the abolition of the moratorium, the moratorium a year ago was almost canceled after a similar law of the Family Code passed by Parliament and was sent to the signing of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev.However, a few days later, April 7, 2010, Bakiyev was overthrown by a mass demonstrations, and the process of lifting the moratorium "depends" for another year. "As such, the moratorium on international adoptions was not. There were gaps in the Family Code, which was not spelled out who controls the process of international adoption ", - told VOA Niyazalieva.Under the new law, coordinating and monitoring role in the international adoption takes the Ministry of Social Protection in Kyrgyzstan. Among the deputies Shirin Aitmatov has played a special role in the adoption of amendments to the Family Code. She persuaded the parliament to consider the bill is not in one but in two readings on April 14. During the first reading in parliament in early April Aitmatov noted opponents of lifting the moratorium on the deteriorating health of foster children, and urged everyone to endorse the bill as soon as possible.Damir Niyazalieva notes that supporters of lifting the moratorium failed to win the resistance of some MPs. In general, she said, the government and the parliament there is a serious support for the resumption of international adoptions.However, according to Natalia Utesheva, a representative of the Youth Human Rights Group, which monitors the process of lifting the moratorium in Kyrgyzstan lack of political leadership and political will to complete its withdrawal. "In conditions of instability in Kyrgyzstan, where all are at risk, no one takes responsibility for such a decision, after which they can point the finger and blame" selling "children" - commented Utesheva.Social protection of children in the U.S.Some Kyrgyz politicians and the public fear that foreign adoptive children may be victims of domestic violence. However, according to the Joint Council of the International Save the Children, Violence against children in foster care is much rarer than in "normal" families as adoptive families are thoroughly tested before they destroy adopt a child.
The prevention of child abuse in the United States is engaged in the State Agency for Supervision of children and family (Child and Family Service Agency). The agency has a hotline to which anyone can call and leave information about the facts of child abuse. This may be a relative, neighbor, teacher or just a passerby, who witnessed the disturbing event. Moreover, teachers, nurses, doctors and others who directly communicate with children are required to report all the facts and suspicions of child abuse.
In turn, the agency enters the data into a computer program based on their results and conclude on the risks faced by the child. Special workers react to the received messages within 24-48 hours. They meet with your child to determine on the spot - there is a need to isolate him from his parents for safety, or start with the parents of special educational activities.
In the U.S. there is no children's homes, instead of them wanting to families may be entitled to a temporary shelter to children. These rights are updated every two years and are given to those families who pass a special audit and training.It is important to note that the work of social workers of the Agency for Supervision of children and family do not differentiate between adopted children and own children.The situation in orphanages in KyrgyzstanThe monitoring results in orphanages Youth Human Rights Group and the Ombudsman showed numerous violations of the rights of children. In the course are "cruel and degrading treatment," the report said. Children are significantly lagging behind in mental, physical and social development than their peers raised in families.Particularly widespread abuse of children in a psychiatric hospital on the outskirts of Bishkek, where more than 80% of children - orphans. "For the undesirable behavior of children of staff permanently tied to a battery, a chair or tied on the floor in a painful posture, seated on the floor, hands tied behind his back and his head placed between his knees" - said in a statement. As a result, the identification of cases of torture director of the hospital was fired.One of the volunteers of the orphanage in Bishkek, who asked not to be named, told VOA that the orphanage workers receive very little money (less than $ 100 per month) for the hard work. "The orphanage receives a lot of outside help, but this aid is often stolen" - she said. In the younger groups of 12-15 people, and diapers and clothes for children are often lacking. "Kids always go wet," - she says.Natalia Utesheva notes that the orphanage workers themselves often welcome the idea of international adoption. "They're trying to help sick children, but they do not have opportunities" - she says. From their own powerlessness, they favor the resumption of international adoptions.It added that Kyrgyzstan does not exist today as the monitoring of local adoptions, as well as institutions where children are orphans. "From this perspective, the comparison is clearly not in favor of Kyrgyzstan", - underlines Utesheva.In just the last few years, more than 200 orphans in Kyrgyzstan have been adopted by foreigners. The number of adoptions by local families for the same period is several times lower. Often foreigners adopt sick children, residents of Kyrgyzstan mostly - healthy.
