| In the world of International Adoption, | | | | and the UK, US and Canadian embassies now |
| Guatemala is one of the most popular and | | | | carry out DNA tests of both the birth mother |
| least regulated Countries. Last year there | | | | and the baby to check out that the woman |
| were estimated to have been 1,500 Guatemalan | | | | giving the baby up for adoption is the real |
| Children and Babies who have started fresh | | | | birth mother. |
| lives abroad, but the spectre of Illegal | | | | |
| Adoptions have haunted Guatemala for years. | | | | 'The existence of DNA doesn't in any way tell |
| Stories have emerged of mothers being forced | | | | you whether the mother is willingly giving up |
| to give up their new born children and of a | | | | the child or whether she is being coerced. |
| booming private adoption business that has | | | | The second concern is that the children who |
| now grown almost into a multi million pound | | | | pass the DNA test are not the same ones who |
| industry. | | | | go with the adopting parents on the plane, |
| | | | they could be switched. And thirdly, that the |
| One of the key questions to look into is, are | | | | child who is rejected for having a negative |
| illegal adoptions taking place and if so how | | | | DNA result by one of three embassies that |
| widespread is the practice? Finally, what is | | | | offer this test, can then be offered to |
| in the best interests of the Children of | | | | another embassy with parents of a another |
| Guatemala? | | | | nationality.' |
| | | | |
| "With Overseas adoption, what is in the best | | | | 'No one respects the law or the state; |
| interests of the children of Guatemala?" | | | | everybody just does their own thing. And it's |
| | | | the same with adoptions' |
| Whilst organisations, such as UNICEF, do not | | | | |
| claim that all of the overseas adoptions | | | | So with all of this abuse of the system going |
| coming out of Guatemala are illegal or | | | | on, why hasn't the government of Guatemala |
| abusive, a new report issued from the | | | | done anything to stop it. The general |
| organisation does highlight the increasing | | | | consensus is that Guatemala is in chaos with |
| problem of child trafficking. | | | | the country, now a fledgling democracy, only |
| | | | just emerging from under the shadows of years |
| "Overseas adoption arose directly out of | | | | of Military rule |
| Guatemala's harrowing history." | | | | |
| | | | Guatemala is a difficult place from which to |
| Overseas Adoptions and International adoption | | | | operate from and it is very hard to know who |
| arose directly out of Guatemala's harrowing | | | | is in charge of what. There doesn't appear to |
| history. The 36 year civil war - which ended | | | | be a Minister in charge of Social Affairs and |
| officially only four years ago - left nearly | | | | Adoption is very much bottom rung on the |
| a quarter of a million dead or disappeared | | | | ladder. |
| and one million homeless, half of them | | | | |
| children. | | | | The Chair of the Commission on the Child and |
| | | | the Family in the Guatemalan Parliament is |
| Elizabeth Gibbons is the director of UNICEF, | | | | Nineth Montenegro who is a vigorous critic of |
| and a leading critic of adoption as practised | | | | her own system and is campaigning to pass the |
| in Guatemala: | | | | "The Children's Code" to protect the rights |
| | | | of the Child in Guatemala explains: |
| 'Many, many orphaned children were taken into | | | | |
| adoption by military officers - sent into | | | | 'We've been working on it for three years now |
| international adoption. Originally a | | | | and parliament still hasn't passed it. They |
| humanitarian activity, but it became obvious | | | | say, if we try to regulate adoption in this |
| that it had the potential for being a | | | | way we will deny children better |
| lucrative business. And the higher demand in | | | | opportunities in wealthier countries. There |
| the West - the more birth control, more | | | | has been terrible resistance to the new law. |
| access to abortion - so you have the problem | | | | You know Guatemala is a democracy only in |
| of a huge demand, therefore a supply must be | | | | name, not a real democracy. |
| created.' | | | | |
| | | | No one respects the law or the state; |
| In recent years there has been a tightening | | | | everybody just does their own thing. And it's |
| up of controls in many of the major embassies | | | | the same with adoptions. |