France suspends adoption procedures in Ukraine until the end of 2023

France stops the procedures for adopting Ukrainian children until 31 December 2023. This decision, which aims above all to protect minors, is symbolic since since February 2022 it is no longer possible to adopt children in Ukraine. This measure, however, allows the most to question Savior White of us who still see international adoption as an excellent alternative to the “rescue” of war orphans.

Protect children without uprooting them

At a time when Russia is making a name for itself in a despicable campaign of “ De-Ukrainization More than 240,000 Ukrainian children may have been relocated since February before being adopted by Russian families after rudimentary adoption procedures. These inhumane uprootings are unfortunately common in times of crisis, both by governments that implement real cancellation strategies, and by networks that take advantage of the chaos to “come to the aid of families ready to have a child at all costs “.

Anne Royal, president of the federationn Childhood and adoptive familieshe remembers it on the pages of the newspaper Publication : Even with the best of intentions, you don’t adopt a child from a state at war. In the event of a humanitarian crisis, the miraculous solution is not to send orphans to live in unknown countries whose language and codes they do not know. International adoption should only be considered as a last resort as it can be traumatic for a child torn away from their country, culture and relatives.

“Adoption is not a gesture of rescuing a child (…) Today it is more important to take care of displaced children and meet their food needs (…) It will take time to verify that children who have lost their parents cannot be assisted by those around them. It can take years. They have uncles and aunts, grandparents, who will surely reunite after the war. »

Anne Royal, Released, 10 March 2022

Adoption procedures postponed to 31 December 2023

On March 7, 2022, France suspended the adoption procedures for Ukrainian children for a period of three months, then until December 31, 2022. Faced with the current situation, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna has finally extended this interruption until December 31, 2023. This symbolic decision is based on various international conventions that concern the rights and protection of children, particularly in the context of adoption.

In fact, in Ukraine, about ten children are adopted every year and the adoption law of 8 February 2022 could definitively put an end to adoptions in this country. Under this law, parents with an approval must now contact an intermediary such as the French Adoption Agency or an authorized organization to be put in touch with the children. Ukraine, on the other hand, only accepts individual applications.

Whatever the usual agreements between France and Ukraine regarding adoption, France’s decision is important. In times of crisis, children are always the first victims of adults who are ready to do anything to satisfy their greed and impose their ideologies.

Front page photo credit: Piron Guillaume / Unsplash