Objectives

Our objectives

	To advocate intercountry adoption as an option in child welfare when pursued in the best interest of the child, with respect for his or her fundamental rights, and according to the principle of subsidiarity*
	To establish common Ethical Rules and promote their application in intercountry adoption
	To promote cooperation between governments and private, authorized adoption organisations
	To share knowledge concerning intercountry adoption and related matters
	To work for improved legislation and other measures for the protection of children
	To promote the ratification or accession of the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption by all states involved in such adoption, and adherence to the principles of this convention also by countries which are not party to the convention

* The principle of subsidiarity implies that the competent authorities of the child's country of origin have determined that the child can not be suitable placed in a family in that country.

LINKS: The text of the above-mentioned Convention, a list of countries that are party to it, etc, can be found on the web pages of the Hague Conference on Private International Law: http://www.hcch.net.. International Social Service in Geneva has set up an International Resource Center on the Protection of Children in Adoption (IRC/ISS). Their web pages can be found at this address: http://www.iss-ssi.org/index.html. We also recommend UNICEFs web pages, which include the text of the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other material on international child welfare: http://www.unicef.org.

Every child has the right to a family

Photos from children's institutions around the world