Why are there unethical adoptions in Ethiopia?

According to UNICEF there are 5 million orphaned children in Ethiopia. Taking into account that this number includes half-orphans, who could live with a parent and relatives, there is still a high number of children that in need of a home.  Why is there still a high number of complaints and reports of unethical practices in Ethiopian adoption procedures? Why are there reports of fake social reports, false statements about age and origin, uninformed parents who are tricked into giving up  their children? According to a survey of the American parent organization PEAR, almost 30% of surveyed parents have experienced unethical practices which were not excusable.

One explanation for this is the desire for small children. Many adoptive parents are looking for a young child  (even though the trauma of an abandoned infant of a separation of parents and family is no less serious than of older children). Young children are rarely orphaned and initially rather cared for within the family. To enable their placements quickly and unbureaucratically, the appropriate procedures are not complied with.

Also, a lack of resources is likely to play a role. Research on the families of the children and the circumstances of their abandonement is expensive. Travelling to Southern Ethiopian South is tiring and the communication is difficult. There is also a competition between agencies. As American agencies have rushed into the country, they must reach a certain number of placements to operate their offices on the ground.

However, the most important and most difficult reason is a lack of legal and ehtical awareness among those involved. Time and again we hear the objection that you may not apply Western standards in Ethiopia. That it is more important to bring a child into a family than to ask too many questions. That an illiterate Ethiopian can not understand the legal consequences of a German adoption. That for the children, their age in the Passport is not important as long as they can only leave the country. These arguments are wrong. They rob children their right to the knowledge of their origin and identity. Those who deal with international adoptions, have to ensure the same standards in the truthfulness of documentation of placements as in domestic adoption. 


First published in German on March 28, 2011.