An Analysis of Ethical Dilemma of International Adoption

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Adoption boundaries have steadily extended since the World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War, where many children became orphans. As a response to them winners, especially Americans, started to adopt children from the war-torn countries (Wilkinson 1995, 174). Thus, it was a start point for international adoption. Intercountry (international or transnational) adoption is defined as adoption, where child is removed to the adoptees’ country. In recent times motives to adopt internationally are explained as charity of wealthier and more developed nations, a wish to help countries, which are fighting with economic problems, and also insufficient numbers of babies within the country. The rate of international adoption increased dramatically, rising more concerns about its ethics. While some people see international adoption as a positive intervention, which provides good opportunities to parentless children and to adoptive parents as well, other people see it as child trafficking, supporting this fact by evidences of child exploitation and abusing for sexual motives. Some countries, such as Romania, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan, started closing boundaries for international adoption for unknown time period. (Reference)So, the aim of this essay is to examine if international adoption is a positive intervention or not. Firstly, arguments for intercountry adoption will be presented. Then, the essay will progress to the presentation of the arguments against international adoption. Finally, it will attempt to evaluate arguments critically, and find if international adoption is good or bad intervention. It will be argued that considering child’s interests in the first place international adoption has more positive than negative effects.

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UNAIDS, 2002. Children on the Brink: A Joint Report on Orphan Estimates and Program Strategies. http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNACP860.pdf (accessed April 20, 2011 )

UNICEF's position on Inter-country adoption. n.d. http://www.unicef.org/media/media_41118.html (accessed April 21, 2011)

Wardle, L.N., Bruce, C. and J. R. Clark. 2008. The Hague Convention on intercountry adoption and American implementing law: implications for international adoptions by gay and lesbian couples or partners. IND. INT’L & COMP. L. REV. 18(1): 115-126. EBSCO host databases. http://search.ebscohost.com (accessed February 10, 2011)

Wilkinson, H.S. 1995. Psychological process and issues in international adoption. The American Journal of Family Therapy 23(2): 173-183. EBSCO host databases. http://search.ebscohost.com (accessed February 10, 2011)

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