Child adoption law needs tightening

Hanoi (VNA) - Gaps in Vietnam's regulations on child adoption has turned the issue from a humanitarian one, to a cash cow for some who take advantage of these cracks in the system to profit from children trafficking which makes a law on adoption necessary.

According of statistics supplies by the Department of International
Child Adoption of the Ministry of Justice, Vietnam has one of the
highest numbers of international child adoption.

But the recent case of two humanitarian centres in Nam Dinh
Province - which forged documents for over 300 children to be taken abroad
for adoption-has revealed the country's weakness in adoption policies.

"Unfortunately, regulations on adoption are not carried out in a strict
manner in some localities. Forgery is a natural by-product of such a
situation," said Vu Duc Long, head of the Department of International Child
Adoption.

"Documents such as birth certificates, or reports on abandonment can be
faked. Control on this is loose and many profit from this," said Long.

Financial support for adoption agencies was considerable, and the fact
was, money corrupts, Long added. Procedures to find children's birth parents
are often neglected.

The Department is making plans to carry out regular checks with adoption
agencies on humanitarian support. Control on these agencies will also be
tightened.

It is also expected that a Law on Child Adoption will be issued by the end
of 2011 to deal with these shortcomings.-