Latvia Bans Child Adoption By US CItizens - Member Of Parliament

Latvia's parliament on Thursday passed new amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Children Rights, under which American citizens would no longer be able to adopt Latvian children, member of parliament Artuss Kaimins told Sputnik on Thursday

RIGA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 16th December, 2021) Latvia's parliament on Thursday passed new amendments to the Law on the Protection of the Children Rights, under which American citizens would no longer be able to adopt Latvian children, member of parliament Artuss Kaimins told Sputnik on Thursday.

The bill, banning intercountry adoption from countries that did not ratify the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, was supported by 59 lawmakers, with 18 voting against, two abstaining. The amendments will take effect on July 1, 2022.

"A child from Latvia can still be adopted from abroad.

This right is enshrined in the Hague Convention of May 29, 1993 and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by Latvia. However, adoption of children from Latvia to the United States will be prohibited," the lawmaker said.

The United States signed the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption on February 16, 1995, but never ratified it. The US has not also ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as opposed to all other UN member states.

Currently, there are about 550 children in orphanages in Latvia.