Denmark stops adoptions from Ethiopia

Parents, who are already waiting for a child from the East African country, can continue the adoption process under extra supervision

Lucie Rychla

The Interior Ministry has decided to stop all adoptions from Ethiopia, following recommendations from Ankestyrelse, the national social appeals board, which has just returned from an evaluation trip to the east African country.

The social and interior minister, Karen Ellemann, said she “does not have the confidence” that adoptions from Ethiopia meet the demands Denmark has for international adoption processes.

Ankestyrelse, who has been monitoring Ethiopia for several years, recently intensified its control of the adoption process.

Concerns about children’s welfare
As a consequence, Denmark’s only agency for international adoption services, DIA, will no longer be allowed to add new applicants to a waiting list for children from Ethiopia.

Danish parents who have already been offered a child from the African country will be allowed to continue the adoption process under the supervision of Ankestyrelse.

Already in 2013, the former social and integration minister, Karen Hækkerup, expressed concerns about the conditions, in which orphan children, selected for adoption, were kept.

It was reported children were deprived of food, basic care and medical treatment.

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