Moratorium Imposed on Adoptions from Nepal

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - June 4, 2010) - Canadian adoptions from Nepal have been suspended due to concerns about fraud and child trafficking.

A recent report by the Hague Conference on Private International Law revealed that there is strong evidence that documents are being falsified on a regular basis and false statements are regularly made about a child's origins, age and status – and whether they have been abandoned.

Based on this evidence, and the recommendations of Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) and with the support of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), the provinces and territories have agreed to suspend adoptions from Nepal.

Provinces and territories are responsible for approving adoptions. CIC is responsible for granting the adopted child citizenship or allowing them to immigrate as a permanent resident. HRSDC's role is to encourage communications and co-operation with provincial and territorial, federal, and foreign government counterparts in the adoption community.

"We know how disheartening this must be for the parents concerned, but several authoritative sources, such as The Hague Conference and UNICEF, have raised serious concerns about the use of fraudulent documents and the prevalence of child trafficking in Nepal," said Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. "It is important to get a reformed system in place in Nepal before proceeding with adoptions."

Proceeding with adoption cases from Nepal could violate Canada's obligations under The Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoptions. Both CIC and HRSDC work in close coordination with provincial and territorial adoption authorities and are monitoring the situation in Nepal.

"There are a number of Canadian parents seeking to adopt children from Nepal who are understandably anxious but our priorities remain the best interests of the child and the prevention of child trafficking," added Minister Kenney.