What is behind the MOWA decision?

Early March 2011 the Ethiopian Government decided to reduce the number of adoption so far 50 to 5 per day allegedly in order to improve the procedure and to examine the underlying documentation of abandoned children. What were the reasons leading to the decision? In short: we don't know the answer. The blogosphere of adoption activists has found no convincing explanation for this move. However, there are a number of theories circulating:

• There is one assumption that the Ethiopian Government has excavated the UN Convention on the rights of the child from their drawers and now would like to take it seriously. This seems to be more than naive in light of reports of ongoing human rights violations in Ethiopia.
• Another explanation is based on an increasing pressure of international organizations. UNICEF is critical of the adoption procedures in Ethiopia. We do not know of any position openly threatening with the withdrawal of aid in the context of adoption procedures.
• The US Government could have prompted the decision. On the one hand, it is under massive pressure from the adoption lobby, on the other hand, both the embassy and the USCIS immigration have major problems with the processing visa of obviously incorrect adoption decisions.
• Little is known about conflicts and corruption within the Government. However, there were changes in personnel in the Ministry. 
• There are conflicts between the federal government and Southern Ethiopian regional administrations and rebel organisations fighting the government. It is alleged that rebels use international adoptions for securing new sources of funding. There are unconfirmed rumors that the government aims to cut the financial flows to rebel groups by reducing the number of adoptions from southern Ethiopia.

Depending on the motivation different conclusions can be drawn about the seriousness of the efforts of the government. It is clear that a reduction in the number of cases alone does not reform the process. Rather, there is a risk that lower numbers of placements and a reduced commitment of agencies can lead to worsening conditions in orphanages, which is then answered by a new wave of unregulated adoption. Whether the decision of MOWA is a first step in the right direction, or rather a bargaining chip, remains open.

First published in German on May 8th, 2011.