[rlf0504]

Two things:

First, we bought "Corduroy's Halloween" yesterday at Barnes and Noble, a cute lift-the-flap book. Imagine our surprise when we were reading it to our children when we found the first trick-or-treaters in the book were toting Unicef boxes and shouting, "Trick or treat for Unicef." DH apologized, said he had no idea, who would have thought...Corduroy?

Second, beautiful new Christmas cards at Hallmark with the earth surrounded by a diverse group of people, proceeds are going to Unicef. Love the cards, not the cause.

Just wanted to share.

Take care,
Rhonda

[cbmstephanie]

I just went on to Hallmark and let them know that I would no longer be patronizing their stores until they stopped endorsing Unicef. I encourage others to do the same.

[dspakowsky]

Thanks for the info!

[waitingforIsabel]

Fill me in ...what's wrong with UNICEF?

[KarynB]

I don't understand either....

[Quesita]

Originally Posted by waitingforIsabel

Fill me in ...what's wrong with UNICEF?

Christine, UNICEF has worked really hard to stop international adoptions. They are great opponents of Guatemalan adoptions, and have put pressure on the government of Guatemala to hault the process.

There have been a number of threads on this forum on the topic. If you do a search you might find some with more detailed information.

[my2boops]

There is also a full page ad in "Family Fun Magazine" endorsing Unicef. "Kids Helping Kids!"

Possibly, some letters to the editor are in order?

[cmc]

I had that book in my hand yesterday to buy! But didn't and won't be going back for it now.
uugghh.

[KarynB]

LOL - Quesita, I knew I'd find you here!!! so funny...

But everyone here does understand that there are alot of problems with adoptions in Guatemala (including child trafficking, stealing babies, etc) which is why Canadians cannot adopt from Guatemala anymore (until they implement the Hague). So if UNICEF wants them to clean that up, I know everyone here would be behind that - for the sake of the kids, even if that would make adoption to Guatemala more difficult and longer.

Nowhere in UNICEF's policy does it say it is against IA's - it just believes the first choice is to heal the country so that IA's are not necessary. What is the matter with that? I still am not clear why some are down on UNICEF - no, it is not perfect and I know has ALOT of internal clean-up to do in order to make it efficient and effective - but most (if not all) political institutions/bureaucracies) are like that.

Why so down on UNICEF?

Quesita - back to you....

[hpmom]

I too have always been confused aboutUNICEF??
Why is it wrong to want a safe system for children in other country's?? I have heard that there will be orphanages rather then foster care in Guatemala at some point.. I love the idea of foster mothers yet I have also heard maor horror stories about some of the foster moms..Hs anyone had a foster mom who negleted their child during the adoption process?? Our showed p to the hoel after putting our child on the back of a motor cycle to get there? She also did not take our daughter to the docotor and do many of the things she was supposedly paid to do..

[Quesita]

Originally Posted by KarynB

LOL - Quesita, I knew I'd find you here!!! so funny...

But everyone here does understand that there are alot of problems with adoptions in Guatemala (including child trafficking, stealing babies, etc) which is why Canadians cannot adopt from Guatemala anymore (until they implement the Hague). So if UNICEF wants them to clean that up, I know everyone here would be behind that - for the sake of the kids, even if that would make adoption to Guatemala more difficult and longer.

Nowhere in UNICEF's policy does it say it is against IA's - it just believes the first choice is to heal the country so that IA's are not necessary. What is the matter with that? I still am not clear why some are down on UNICEF - no, it is not perfect and I know has ALOT of internal clean-up to do in order to make it efficient and effective - but most (if not all) political institutions/bureaucracies) are like that.

Why so down on UNICEF?

Quesita - back to you....

Oh no! I have a reputation already! And I'm still paperchasing!

I do agree with the position that it would be better to put an end to the horrible poverty that leads so many families to relinquish or abandon their children. (Anyone who is a fan of my political ranting and raving knows that is my belief ) I also agree that it would be better to solve the AIDS crisis in Africa that has resulted in millions of orphans. These are great ultimate goals, but not the best option for a child born this month. It is also UNICEF's position that it is better for a child to stay in his/her birth country rather than being adopted abroad.

There are others on this forum who know more about UNICEF than I do, but my understanding of UNICEF's position is that they strongly support researching every possible alternative before considering international adoption. While I believe that that position looks good on paper, the reality is that precious years in a child's life can go by while exploring these alternatives.

Here is a link to their offical position, which again, looks good on paper.

UNICEF - Press centre - UNICEF's position on Inter-country adoption

Karen, I guess I somewhat retract my previous statement. They are not necessarily "opposed" to IA, but they consider it to be a "last alternative." That means more time. A longer process. Children who are ultimately adopted waiting in limbo longer.

[Castanea2]

For those of you who are confused, you may want to read information on the Families without Borders website, just google it to find it. There's a lot to read, but it summarizes why some of us are concerned with UNICEF’s positions on intercountry adoption. The link to the 6-point summary in the “UNICEF Support Letter” is a good starting point.

I'm not weighing in on my own personal thoughts about whether the Hague would (or more aptly, could) eventually be good for international adoption in general. Just read. I will say that our beloved son, adopted from Guatemala in 2004, will Trick-or-treat in a few days, but his Halloween will not include soliciting donations for the UNICEF cause. What's really odd is that my wife told me last night that as an older child, she participated in the UNICEF trick-or-treat donation program... perhaps it was a good thing then. Perhaps now too, but mi hijo will not solicit donations.

[kari&jose]

Originally Posted by KarynB

But everyone here does understand that there are alot of problems with adoptions in Guatemala (including child trafficking, stealing babies, etc) which is why Canadians cannot adopt from Guatemala anymore (until they implement the Hague). So if UNICEF wants them to clean that up, I know everyone here would be behind that - for the sake of the kids, even if that would make adoption to Guatemala more difficult and longer.

Nowhere in UNICEF's policy does it say it is against IA's - it just believes the first choice is to heal the country so that IA's are not necessary. What is the matter with that? I still am not clear why some are down on UNICEF - no, it is not perfect and I know has ALOT of internal clean-up to do in order to make it efficient and effective - but most (if not all) political institutions/bureaucracies) are like that.

Why so down on UNICEF?

Also, FWIW, Unicef is causing some major problems with the Indian adoption process as well. While their idealogy and purposes are understandable and something that I think we all stand behind their methods are currently hurting the possibility of a healthy future for many of the children that they say they support.

Policies that support the immediate nurturing of the children currently in the system while concurrently working to reduce the need for International Adoption is what is necessary. Rather, Unicef's methods are actually thwarting the opportunities that TODAY's children may have otherwise had.

Furthermore, for those of us who are of a different nationality and born and raised in the US thus learning and believing that we are all one people regardless of man-made political boundaries, preventing children from being brought into a loving family because they would have to leave their birth country is short-sighted. It is society that believes that assimilation is wrong and in the end, if the child is healthy and well-cared for, what place does such wrongs and rights have? What more beautiful way to celebrate the world's diversity then to embrace the cultures of everyone in your family? What more beautiful way to combat racism?

[KevinK]

Actions speak louder tha words and UNICEF's actions differ from the balanced wording of their official position, which only about a year or two ago admitted that ICa was better than long-term instituionalization.

To learn more about UNICEF and ICA, go to Families Without Borders and take the time to read the report. It is worth it!

To participate in an annual grassroots UNICEF Halloween information campaign, go here: Guatemala Adoption Information and News: <b>Halloween Campaign</b>

Kevin
Guatadopt.com

[JoTed]

Here is UNICEF's stratagy for Romania below and below that, it a previously posted article on what is really going on there. I think the fear is that the same situation could happen in Guatemala due to lack or funds and resources:

For 2004 specifically, UNICEF will strongly and clearly defend the justification for the moratorium (for international adoption). It will also contribute to monitoring, and to discussing with the National Authority for Child Protection and Adoption and any other appropriate Romanian or foreign authorities, recourse to inter-country adoption while the moratorium is in effect. It will provide support to ensure that the content of the proposed legislation will be well understood and internalized by the different stakeholders.
For 2004-2007, UNICEF will place major emphasis on supporting efforts to reduce recourse to abandonment, maintain/reintegrate children with their families, and provide valid in-country non-institutional forms of out-of-home care. It will also contribute to countering effective demand regarding the adoption of Romanian children abroad. The overall aim will be to ensure that, by end 2007, conditions are such that inter-country adoption from the country is very rarely required and that it is therefore no longer a “phenomenon” as such but a truly exceptional and individualised practice.
For 2005-2009, the strategic intent of UNICEF presence in Romania will be to support Romania in ensuring that all children and youth can grow up in a caring family or a family like environment and that their fundamental rights for survival, development, participation and protection are fully realized. The program will focus on policy development, in the areas of health and fight against HIV/AIDS, education and child protection. Many of the proposed interventions will aim at reducing the level of abandonment of children, fight against child trafficking, and ensure adequate care to vulnerable children, families and communities. Additional efforts will be provided to ensure a proper monitoring of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, and an appropriate response to the Committee on the Rights of the Child, for which UNICEF has expressed its interest in supporting the creation of an inter-ministerial body, to monitor the implementation of the Convention, in partnership with civil society organizations.

Here is what it really happening:

CHRIS ROGERS, REPORTER, ITV NEWS (voice over): Dumped in a Romanian hospital, she is one of thousands abandoned each year. The lucky ones are saved, fostered. Many are condemned to virtual imprisonment, driven mad in appalling conditions, confined to miserable institutions until they die.

We are armed with fake aid worker I.D., but there are too few nurses on these eerily quiet wards to notice us. They are understaffed, underresourced yet teeming with Romania's abandoned. Some are starving, left somehow to feed themselves.

They are simply unwanted, but others are dumped because of birth defects. Ioness (ph) has been here seven years and treated for cerebral palsy.

As a condition of Romania's forthcoming EU membership orphanages were closed and replaced with a local fostering program. But Children's Charities claim the system is overwhelmed. And according to one nurse, many hospitals have instead become orphanages with horrific consequences.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE (through translator): I think the hospital is like a zoo. They live like animals all day in their cots, and that makes the children become physically and mentally damaged. To stop this institutionalization we need more help so we can offer love to the abandoned children and stop them becoming disabled.

ROGERS: An aid worker showed us children crippled from lying on their backs for months on end.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She can't sit up.

ROGERS: These loveless wards also create mental scars. The rocking motion a common side-effect. I was witnessing the creation of mentally ill and physically disabled children destined for the country's most horrific homes.

This is an statute for disabled children typical of several we saw, but here a nurse let us film. She's tired of hiding her country's failure. Some had been born mentally ill, but many had arrived in need of little more than love and attention.

(on camera): We are surrounded by victims of institutionalization here and this is the treatment they receive. You're looking right at it.

They sit on the benches all day or just lie here on the rug. Some of them with their hands tied behind their backs to protect themselves, but also the other children.

(voice over): The nurse is clearly overwhelmed. She keeps the room clean but she has little else to offer these children. She didn't want us to film the children tied up, but they clearly didn't know what to do with their freedom.

Romania insists its notorious institutes have been dealt with. Some like this one have been shut down. But where were the children here sent to?

The younger orphans are now in newly built centers. Aid workers call them show homes, where fund-raisers and celebrities are given tours. We got a job in one, and our secret filming revealed disturbing practices. The children are still tied up to stop self- abuse and damage to the property.

Our bogus charity work got us inside this adult institute, the final resting place for Romania's unwanted. Two 18-year-olds are confined to a bed together. After a life in orphanages, we're told they've lost the will to live.

Romania promised attack on its child welfare problems. So why does this abandoned baby still face a life of neglect and cruelty?

Chris Rogers, ITV News, Romania.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

LEMON: Coming up, ITV reporter Chris Rogers joins us in the NEWSROOM. He'll talk to Kyra Phillips on -- more on Romania's unwanted children, can anything be done to help.

In the meantime, there are ways that you can help. Check out Help for Romanian Children. It is an umbrella organization connected to dozens of charities that provide assistance.


PHILLIPS: Well, it's been more than 15 years since Romania's horrible orphanage system shocked the world. You might think it's cleaned up its dismal act since then but you'd be wrong. Chris Rogers is with Britain's ITV news. He defied Romania's ban on journalists to get the heart-breaking truth. He joins us now live from Newcastle, England with more.

And Chris, we've seen both the pieces now in our 1:00 and 2:00 hour. Already I'm getting a lot of response from people on how to help and why this exists. First of all, why don't you explain to our viewers why journalists are banned from even telling the story. CHRIS ROGERS, ITV CORRESPONDENT: Well, Romania introduced a law which bans the filming and photography of children, period, whether it's photography by a journalist, an aid worker or a tourist or any kind of visitor to the country.

You can only but read into that. They've obviously got something to hide. It made life very difficult for charities wanting to raise money and raise awareness of the issues that they were trying to deal with. How can you print a pamphlet without the pictures of the children and institutions you're trying to help?

But obviously it went beyond that. It was to stop journalists from exposing some of the horrors that I managed to expose a few weeks ago when I was filming there. Romania has been under a lot of pressure to solve its problems and to be fair to the Romanian authorities, they have made some progress, but clearly not enough.

PHILLIPS: Tell me about the women that are having these children. Are they not seeing what is happening here? And so it's a lack of education or are they doing it for the money? Is it just still a part of the culture? I mean, you see what's happening and you sort of feel a flashback from the times of Ceausescu and the way that he treated women.

ROGERS: Yes, in the time of Ceausescu's rule, Romanian families were encouraged to have as many children as possible. Abortion and contraception was banned. They wanted to create a workforce for Romania. Old habits die hard.

And the problem for the Romanian gypsies is that they are treated as outcasts. They have been left behind by Romania's progression as it heads into the European Union and has received a lot of international aid. They live in very poor, appalling conditions and they don't receive any kind of education, they don't receive sexual education.

Many parents have up to 15 children. Some mothers will have children with four or five men and they are left in a position where they have 15 mouths to feed and no money in which to feed them. If a foreigner like you and I walks into a gypsy village today right now, you'll be offered a number of children and we're talking of the price of a new car, maybe four or $5,000. And they're not well educated so they don't really understand what might happen to that child if it got into the wrong hands and I don't think Mr. and Mrs. Jones in Connecticut could go to Romania and successfully get a child out of Romania, but a sex trafficker or a pedophile could.

PHILLIPS: So who needs to be held accountable. Is it the president of Romania? Is it the EU? Who needs to feel the pressure to start to make a cultural change?

ROGERS: Well 17 years ago when Ceausescu was assassinated and the cameras were allowed to go into Romania for the first time and reveal and film some of the horrors that were going on there, the Romanian authorities and the new Democratic Romania invited journalists in, they invited cameras in, they invited politicians into the country to expose the problems that they had inherited from Ceausescu.

What has changed from then and now is that under pressure to perform and to heed conditions set by the European Union in one hand Romania has solved some of its problems, in the other hand it's sweeping them underneath the carpet, sweeping them underneath the rug to try to hide them from the outside world, to try and prove that they are coping.

So to an extent, the European Union can be blamed for that. But also the Romanian authorities, as well. They need to be more honest. They need to approach their problems without the propaganda that we've seen in reaction to my piece, as they've been denying these images are being filmed in Romania. They're denying they've been filmed recently in Romania. That's not getting them anywhere. If they were more honest like they were 17 years ago, the European Union could do more. I think everyone is to blame. I think the EU and I think the Romanian authorities, as well.

PHILLIPS: And to put this in perspective of how big of a problem this is, you were saying to me it's like the AIDS problem in Africa. It's like what we're seeing in Sudan and the human right abuses. Is it truly that big of a problem? How many children are we talking about?

ROGERS: Well, it's hard to know because a lot of the children that you've seen in my films don't officially exist. They don't have birth certificates, there's no paperwork. They don't know who their parents are. They are children just lost in a system that is a complete and utter mess, to be frank.

The Romanian authorities did introduce a fostering program where babies that have been abandoned by their parents and end up in an institution can be adopted by a Romanian family. On paper, it's a great system but in reality, it's not actually working. There are around 14,000 foster parents available for around 100,000 abandoned children. So clearly the figures just aren't adding up.

So they've got a long way to go to make the fostering program work. It's very hard to pinpoint an actual figure on the amount of children that are abandoned or the amount of children that are in institutions, but you're talking of well up to 100,000 children in 90 institutions across Romania.

PHILLIPS: Chris, anyone that anywhere around the world that would see your report and want to go and just sweep up one of these babies and take them home, why can't that -- why is adoption not a possibility and who can make the decision to make that happen?

ROGERS: It won't happen. It's very unlikely it will happen. Romania has a huge sense of national pride and quite rightly, they want to prove to the outside world they can look after their own children and they should be given that chance.

And to be brought in line with European Union law, international adoption was banned in 2004 and that fostering program I was telling you about earlier was introduced to keep the children within their own country. International adoption is banned in Europe for many reasons. The main reasons is to protect children from pedophiles and sex traffickers and from families that aren't fit to adopt a child.

And there's also research to suggest that children are better off being kept in their own country. But then on the other hand as you've seen from our reports, these children can end up in horrific conditions in horrific institutions. And there are calls, particularly in America, there's a lot of lobbying in America but also among MEPs as well in the European Union to bring back international adoption to countries like Romania so a Romanian abandoned child has every chance of a decent life.

In the first hand, yes stay in the country, stay with a Romanian family. If that's not possible then hopefully be fostered off to a good family abroad in countries like America and across Europe. But that's very unlikely to happen. There is something like 1,100 babies that were due to be adopted in the middle of an adoption process with a lot of American families and British families and Canadian families that were just about to go. The ban was introduced and those children have now not been sent to those families.

The European Union did advise the Romanian authorities to allow those 1,100 babies to be sent to those families that were going to adopt them. And just today, Theodore Berntsy (ph), the head of adoption in Romania said, nope, it's not going to happen. They're staying in the country. Many of those 1,100 children are in horrific institutions with hands tied behind their backs, tied to their beds, fed a horrific diet and given no therapy for their mental and physical disabilities which have been created in many cases because they've been institutionalized and unloved.

PHILLIPS: Well, Chris, you have done an absolutely incredible job of exposing this story and taking a lot of risks to tell the story. We will promise you to stay on top of it, follow up with you and continue to get feedback from the EU, also Romania on this story. We want to thank you so much for giving us so much time and doing an incredible job.

ROGERS: Well, I'd just like to add that a lot of the charity workers and aid workers that helped me make that film, mainly behind the scenes of research have now been expelled by the Romanian authorities. So there are a lot of children who are not getting the help that they need from these aid workers now.

PHILLIPS: We'll continue to put pressure on the right people. Thanks, Chris.

ROGERS: Thank you.