International Adoption
Over the last few decades, the issue of international adoption has been a centre for discussion with a greater number of individuals choosing it more than the domestic adoption. It was initially advocated for to help in providing support to orphans from countries which experienced disasters, and the parents of the children died, or they were abandoned. Although it has raised so many issues, including concerns where the biological parents claim the child, it is still in practice today. Besides, questions have aroused whether the issue of international adoption is a good practice or not. This paper will provide an argument that it is good exercise.
However, the issue of international adoption still have controversies with some individuals claiming that it’s a demand-driven-market for children, which then give parents from rich countries to establish their families at the expense of those from emerging countries who are forced to relinquish their babies because of the challenges they go through (Choy 86). This has raised issues with the emergence of two different groups considered as Samaritans and Family builders. For the case Samaritans, the family seek to adopt a child out of a desire to provide an opportunity of the child to have a family that will care for them and the other aims to create a family for themselves with the child.
According to the United States Department of State, the number of children adopted by Americans in 2016 steadily declined with the number of boys becoming higher than girls for the first time on record. The number dropped by 77% in 2016 than its peak in 2004, and this is thought to be driven by a significant reduction in international adoption from five countries where the majority of the adoptees were born, for example, China, Russia, South Korea and Ethiopia (Budiman and Mark). The five countries accounted for about 71% of all adoptions to the US since 1999. Besides, the five countries revised their adoptions protocols which made it more difficult for Americans to adopt from the countries.
Furthermore, various studies have indicated that children from poorly developed countries or those who are victims of disasters have a number of challenging in addressing their needs. Others also find it challenging to live with their parents because of physical and emotional abuse. Besides, there are also cases in which individuals have little trust in the adopting parents, with the greatest fear of hurt by them. However, it also serves them the opportunity to have a safer environment where they can grow well. The level of security in the developing countries is also low with women, and young children become victims of assault which then makes international adoption a good thing for them.
Besides, the greatest conflict that is affecting orphans from the less developed countries is the issues of illnesses and disabilities. This is contributed by the issues of poor sanitation which then predisposes it to an outbreak of diseases and other conditions that have severe consequences on the well-being of the children. However, the highly needy individuals in these countries are the traumatized, sick, disabled and those who are older than five years. Unfortunately, majority the adopting parents ignore the needy ones such as the adolescents and go for babies. The good thing, in this case, is the issue of provision of the individual needs by the parents, including future medical purposes which will enable them to live a healthy life.
Also, a significant number of children adopted come from the developing countries where the standards of living are still low or in areas where the children are abandoned by their biological parents with no one to take care of them. International adoption provides an opportunity for such kinds of children to have people whom they can call parents and who can take care of their needs adequately with less struggle. According to various research findings, parents are the most influencers of child life to even an extent that it affects their mental growth and how they form a relationship with other individuals. Therefore, orphans getting a chance to grow up in a family that attends to their needs will help them to become better adults.
Additionally, international adoption helps children from poor backgrounds and countries have financial support. Globally, there are a significant number of families living below the poverty line with millions of children waiting to be rescued from abandonment and abuse. This has a higher risk for the children to go to the streets and engage themselves from poor practices such as substance abuse, prostitution and criminal activities (Interlandi). Besides, these occur because of the failure to meet their daily basic needs such as food, shelter and clothing with lack of education being a predisposing factor. International adoption helps children from this countries get a better chance with the ability of the adopting parents to provide the basic needs and any financial support they may require, which makes it a better opportunity for the children.
Apart from that, international adoption creates diversity in different countries which has various benefits to society. This is because early exposure to economic and ethnic differences among children makes them ready to face the multicultural world. It also promotes awareness and acceptance, which consequentially promotes better socialization and academic advancement (Interlandi). Therefore, international adoption has an impact on the growth of the economy, establishing varied and culturally vibrant communities and prevention of stagnation among them.
Also, the majority of the parents seeking international adoption are determined to provide selfless love with the children who then allows them to be in a stable home with better opportunities than what they had before. For example, access to the health needs of the child will be much better as compared to those they might have received from their families. This is contributed at times by the issues of lack of enough finances to enable them to afford insurance covers, thus resulting in the suffering of sick children. Therefore, this, together with love and attention from the adoptive parents, are among the reasons why international adoption is better for the children.
Furthermore, some of the adopting parents consider the issues of the background of the child and they choose to settle in communities where the children have a sense of belongingness. Although it is not a big issue in the currently culturally diverse communities, it helps in promoting better growth of the child. Besides, the main aim of the parents is to have a child and to help him/her to become a better member of society (Interlandi). However, in the United States, international adoption is not a concern because the controversies that were there before have significantly reduced, which offers an opportunity for different individuals to adopt. This occurred after various celebrities such as Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie adopted their children from different countries. Hence, the children will be able to grow up in a normal environment where they will be well accepted with greater access to their needs.
In contrary to international adoption, various individuals believe that the children in the orphanages have relatives in the same region who can take care of their needs fully. They also claim that children should remain within their communities. The main challenge, in this case, is that there are a number of children who have relatives who are not in a good position to provide for them. The children are left in the orphanage despite the fact that some of the relatives are aware of the child. Based on this, international adoption plays a significant role in this case because of its effectiveness in providing the services the relatives could not. Thus, it is good practice.
In addition, the opponents of the practice also claim that offering financial support for the countries is a more effective way to give support to the orphanages rather than taking children out of their communities. The issue of providing funds to the countries is one of the effective strategies that can be used by the stakeholders, but international adoption creates more opportunities for the children than this (Choy 152). This is because of the personalized care, love and more attention that is present in adoption than in the orphanages. Apart from that, the issue of adopting helps in relieving the challenges that are faced by the countries to provide support for them because of the scarcity of resources that is commonly witnessed in underdeveloped countries. Besides, international adoption is useful because it helps in addressing the important requirements that the children needs and they cannot have in their countries because of the living standard. For example, financial support, parent protection and being accepted well in the society without stigmas
Furthermore, it has been claimed that international adoption has much more consequences. For instance, the opponents claim that it is exploitive and does not have much more benefits to the child than it is thought. Besides, they also indicate that it is a form of child trafficking, which should not be acceptable, and children should not be exposed to such experience (Orr 23). Also, the adopted children have no one to care for them, which then results in neglect and misery, thus resulting in psychological issues. However, various laws have been put in place of help in addressing such claims.
In conclusion, international adoption is a good thing in this current society and also in the future in providing children from poor backgrounds and countries with inadequate resources an opportunity to explore more into the world. Besides, the challenges children face due to failure to access medical services, food, proper shelter, clothing and education can be addressed well through international adoption. This is because the majority of the adopting parents have the capacity to provide for them and reduce their suffering, thus promoting their well-being. Although challenges are facing the issues of adoption, the risk is far much less than the opportunities that are offered to the child. Therefore, international adoption is good, and it is a practice to promote a better society.
Works cited
Budiman, Abby, and Mark Hugo Lopez. “International Adoptions to U.S. Declined in 2016.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 17 Oct. 2017, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/10/17/amid-decline-in-international-adoptions-to-u-s-boys-outnumber-girls-for-the-first-time/.
Choy, Catherine Ceniza. "International Adoption and Cultural Insecurity.”." Handbook of Cultural Security (2018): 146-66.
Interlandi, Jeneen. “The Benefits of International Adoption.” Newsweek, 2019, https://www.newsweek.com/benefits-international-adoption-69311.
Orr, Shelly. "Human Trafficking Through International Adoption." (2018).
