Madonna adoption ruling welcomed
⬤
public
Madonna adoption ruling welcomed
17 minutes ago
Leading children's organisations have welcomed reports that Madonna's application to adopt a second child from Malawi has been rejected.
Development agency Plan said they could not condone "whisking a single child off to a fairytale lifestyle in Hollywood" while others warned that high-profile adoptions sent out the wrong message.
In Malawi, a judge and a lawyer told reporters that the 50-year-old pop star did not meet a requirement that prospective parents must be resident in the country for 18 to 24 months.
The residency rule was waived in 2006 when Madonna was allowed to take her adopted son, David, to London before his adoption was finalised in 2008 and it was not clear why Judge Esme Chombo ruled differently on Friday.
But a spokesman for Plan said: "While Madonna's intentions were no doubt well-meant and while we feel for her in this case, whisking a single child off to a fairytale lifestyle in Hollywood is not something we condone.
"We endorse keeping children within their community wherever possible, where there is often extended family nearby.
"We believe a better way for her to help would be to act as a champion of change and use her celebrity status and profile to influence government and businesses to ensure a better life for the country's children. That way all Malawi's children would benefit and not just one or two."
International development charity EveryChild added they were pleased the adoption had not been rushed through the country's courts and were concerned that it may not have been in the best interests of the child.
Anna Feuchtwang, chief executive of EveryChild, said: "High- profile adoptions send out the wrong message. Much more work needs to be placed on the valuable work being done to support vulnerable families to stay together.
"This may be less glamorous than international adoption by pop stars but it is the only viable solution to provide safe and secure homes for all of Africa's children.
Copyright © 2009 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
17 minutes ago
Leading children's organisations have welcomed reports that Madonna's application to adopt a second child from Malawi has been rejected.
Development agency Plan said they could not condone "whisking a single child off to a fairytale lifestyle in Hollywood" while others warned that high-profile adoptions sent out the wrong message.
In Malawi, a judge and a lawyer told reporters that the 50-year-old pop star did not meet a requirement that prospective parents must be resident in the country for 18 to 24 months.
The residency rule was waived in 2006 when Madonna was allowed to take her adopted son, David, to London before his adoption was finalised in 2008 and it was not clear why Judge Esme Chombo ruled differently on Friday.
But a spokesman for Plan said: "While Madonna's intentions were no doubt well-meant and while we feel for her in this case, whisking a single child off to a fairytale lifestyle in Hollywood is not something we condone.
"We endorse keeping children within their community wherever possible, where there is often extended family nearby.
"We believe a better way for her to help would be to act as a champion of change and use her celebrity status and profile to influence government and businesses to ensure a better life for the country's children. That way all Malawi's children would benefit and not just one or two."
International development charity EveryChild added they were pleased the adoption had not been rushed through the country's courts and were concerned that it may not have been in the best interests of the child.
Anna Feuchtwang, chief executive of EveryChild, said: "High- profile adoptions send out the wrong message. Much more work needs to be placed on the valuable work being done to support vulnerable families to stay together.
"This may be less glamorous than international adoption by pop stars but it is the only viable solution to provide safe and secure homes for all of Africa's children.
Copyright © 2009 The Press Association. All rights reserved.
2009 Apr 3