Youth Advocacy & Policy Lab (Y-Lab)

Harvard Law School

Legal and Medical Experts Testify Before Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in Support of International Adoption

Recent closure of international adoption programs in Central and South American countries violates children’s human rights, experts say

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held a hearing regarding the “Human Rights of Unparented Children and International Adoption Policies” in the Americas on Friday, November 6, 2009, in Washington, D.C. The hearing was requested by Harvard Law School’s Child Advocacy Program and the Center for Adoption Policy.

Written Response to Questions by Commissioners

  • For the Written Response to Questions by Commissioners at Thematic Hearing on Human Rights of Unparented Children and Related International Adoption Policies 137th Ordinary Period of Sessions, November 6, 2009 (submitted on January 22, 2010), click here.

Press Release

  • For the press release on the hearing, click here.
  • For the Spanish translation of the press release, click here.

Written Testimony

  • For the written testimony submitted for the hearing, click here.
  •  For the Spanish translation of the written testimony, click here.

Tape Recording

  • For a tape recording of the hearing, click here and scroll down to the item labeled “Human Rights of Orphan Children and International Adoption Policies in the Americas.”

Press Coverage

  • United States Coverage
    •  Harvard Law School (11/16/09), click here.
    •  Harvard Law School (11/5/09), click here.
  • Selected Central and South American Coverage
    • The Right to Say “Mom,” COSAS (5/2/11).
      • For the article orginally published in Spanish, here.
      • For the English translation, here.
    • Harvard Law School Professor, Elizabeth Bartholet, Expresses Her Views on Adoption in Peru, Jurídica: Legal analysis supplement to El Peruano (1/25/11).
      • For the article originally published in Spanish, click here for cover and here for article.
      • For the English translation, click here.
    • The State Monopolizes Adoption, El Comercio (8/7/10).
      • For the article published in Spanish and the English translation, click here (PDF).
    • Adoption Continues Being a Drama, Peru 21 (12/8/09).
      • For the article originally published in Spanish, click here (PDF).
      • For the English translation, click here.
    • Nobody’s Children, Peru 21, El Nuevo Herald (11/11/09)
      •  For the article originally published in Spanish, click here.
      •  For the English translation, click here.
    •  CIDH Asked to Investigate Situation of Orphans in Latin America, SDPnoticias.com (11/6/09)
      •  For the article originally published in Spanish, click here.
      •  For the English translation, click here.