Neglect vulnerable children and risk the future
What you need to know:
There are thousands of abandoned children in the streets and neighbourhoods or in temporary abode in hospitals or children’s homes.
In worst-case scenarios, some children live in exploitative circumstances.
Many have no family connections since their relatives cannot be traced. Others have been rejected by their families for reasons including socio-cultural ones.
An anonymous author once wrote that “adoption is when a child grew in its mommy’s heart instead of her tummy”. In all debates about adoption, we should never lose focus of this truth.
I have first-hand experience of the intimacy of adoption. Adoption is not just about paperwork and court appearances, in the same way pregnancy is not only a bulging tummy and morning sickness.
Pregnancy is about a precious baby in the womb and the loving mother bearing that baby. Similarly, adoption is about a special child being conceived in the loving hearts of adoptive parents and being raised by them for life.
BUSINESS VENTURE
When Kenya ratified the 1990 Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), it started reviewing its child laws and recommended comprehensive reforms to align them with CRC’s provisions. That gave birth to the Children Act 2001, which, among other things, provides rules on adoption, foster care, guardianship, children institutions and others related to welfare of children.
There are only five adoption organisations in Kenya; so, it’s relatively easy to audit their operations. Should any exploit adoption as a business venture, the law would take its course.
Adoption services are regulated by the Adoption Committee in the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, whose secretary is the Director of Children Services. In 2014, the government enacted an indefinite moratorium on inter-country adoption of Kenyan children by foreigners.
TRAFFICKING ANTIDOTE
There are thousands of abandoned children in the streets and neighbourhoods or in temporary abode in hospitals or children’s homes.
In worst-case scenarios, some children live in exploitative circumstances. Many have no family connections since their relatives cannot be traced. Others have been rejected by their families for reasons including socio-cultural ones.
We need urgent and sustainable solutions to the abandonment and tragic plight of these innocents.
VULNERABLE CHILDREN
In 2014, the ‘Global Report on Trafficking in Persons’, (UNODC) fingered Kenya as a source, transit and destination in human trafficking. Adoption is an antidote to, not enabler of, trafficking. And so are foster care, guardianship, kinship care and other forms of family and community based solutions.
Through such legal means, no child should be left vulnerable and exposed to those who would wish to harm them. Indeed, even our African culture and religious precepts dictate that we must take care of the vulnerable children.
ABANDONING FUTURE
Adoption opens hearts and doors to a vulnerable child who needs the permanent warmth and care of a family. Many beneficiaries go on to make a positive lasting difference in their lives and those of others.
What if Baby Steve Jobs hadn’t found the life-long care that his adoptive parents gave him? The world would have been the poorer because he changed the world through his technological innovations.
A society that abandons vulnerable children is, essentially, abandoning its future. Let’s take care of that vulnerable child through adoption, kinship, institutions or any other legal means.
Ms Otuoma is the CEO, Little Angels Network. [email protected].
