IAC Speaks for Orphaned and Abandoned Children

Posted by: laurakujawski on Friday, May 21, 2004

The Intercountry Adoption Congress (IAC), an international nonprofit focusing on orphaned and abandoned children’s issues, will travel to Geneva, Switzerland to give a formal presentation to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child on May 26, 2004.

During their one-hour presentation, IAC executive director/CEO Lynda Lee Smith and Dutch Senator Maarten Brekelmans will address the human rights issues that plagued orphaned, abandoned, and temporarily placed (foster) children in countries across the world.

"The voices of these orphaned and abandoned children are rarely ever heard," explains Smith. "While most governments claim to serve this disadvantaged population, the reality is that the current ‘system’ as well as the lack of ‘systems’ fails these children. We live in the 21st century, the age of technology, and yet we see no improvements in serving these children safely and efficiently. Children deserve a family and a support system so that they can flourish into productive members of society."

The 18 elected United Nations committee members will hear how the IAC can offer their system expertise and real applicable technology solutions to governments to help them implement highly efficient systems to serve these children in finding them permanent placements. These UN Committee Members from The Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kenya, Thailand, Italy, Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Germany, Korea, Argentina, Paraguay, Burkina Faso, Brazil, Norway, Jamaica, Serbia, and Montenegro will also have a chance during an information reception to discuss in further detail how the IAC can assist their particular countries.