America may be simplifying the process, it's not a cheap proposition for hopeful parents.

When Valerie Reimold's water broke early Sunday morning in January, she wasn't sure how she was going to get to the hospital.
The storm that blanketed parts of York County with up to 31 inches of snow had just subsided, and the street outside Reimold's New Salem home had yet to be plowed.
Already a mother of two, Reimold was successfully rushed to York Hospital, where she gave birth in less than 20 minutes — she swears it felt longer — to a healthy boy, who wasn't hers to take back home.

A Surrogate's Story

The boy's parents, a gay Norwegian couple, were able to get to the hospital a couple hours later to meet their second American-born child, Sigurd Jonsbu.
Though Reimold carried Sigurd in her uterus more than a week past her due date, she is not biologically related to him because she served as the gestational carrier, often referred to as surrogate.
Gestational surrogacy involved in vitro fertilization, where a donated egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body and then implanted into a woman's uterus.
Program in place: York Hospital has been running a program to help support gestational carriers and intended parents through process since 2007, according to Sue Dolla, the hospital's Women and Children Services outreach coordinator.
Mary Miller, Labor and Delivery Department nurse manager, said the hospital has grown from delivering two or three babies through gestational surrogacy per year in 2009 to 10-15 per year recently.
"We've had couples from Israel, Norway, Russia, Canada, Spain and all over the U.S.," Dolla said. "The word is getting out."
Dolla said York Hospital's program has helped streamline the process by having plans in place to work with surrogacy agencies, lawyers and offering tours.
"York Hospital really extends the red carpet to help it be a positive experience," Miller said.
Reimold said York Hospital's staff was very accommodating, making sure she got her paperwork in on time and setting up the intended parents in their own room following the birth.

Buy PhotoSue Dolla, outreach coordinator for Women and Children Services at WellSpan York Hospital, not shown, gives gestational carrier Jessica Waltersdorf, center, and biological parents Natalia and Cody Akin a tour of a labor room, Monday Feb. 8, 2016. John A. Pavoncello photo (Photo: The York Dispatch)

Jessica Waltersdorff, a current gestational carrier living in Felton, toured York Hospital last week with the future child's intended parents, and she said all parties came away impressed.
"(The staff) made the parents a lot more comfortable with the situation," Waltersdorff said.
Both Reimold and Waltersdorff were matched with couples through surrogacy agencies, which help facilitate the whole process.
Growing practice: Dean Hutchison, director of legal services for Boston-based Circle Surrogacy, said gestational surrogacy has been on the rise throughout the United States for numerous reasons.
Before in vitro fertilization became feasible, heterosexual couples were more hesitant to turn to traditional surrogacy, where the carrier's eggs are used for impregnation, because it wouldn't be biologically related to both parents, Hutchison said. Social stigmas have also changed in the past 5-10 years, he added.
"I wasn't sure my family and the community would be accepting when they found out I was having a child that wasn't mine," Waltersdorff said. "But so far, everyone has been extremely supportive."
Circle Surrogacy has been around for 20 years and, in the beginning, no hospitals had any protocols in place for handling the process, Hutchison said, but most hospitals now have a committed program. Spring Garden Township's Memorial Hospital also has a surrogacy program, according to spokesman Jason McSherry.
According to a 2010 Council for Responsible Genetics report, the number of babies born in the U.S. through gestational surrogacy nearly doubled from 2004 to 2008, with an estimated 5,238 babies.
International couples are a major contributor to that growth because surrogacy is prohibited in many countries, and other countries where it is legal, such as Ukraine or India, don't have the same level of medical care as the U.S., Hutchison said.
Ole Aleksander Dyrkorn and Magnus Jonsbu, now back home in Norway with their son Sigurd, previously had a daughter through a surrogate in Rhode Island, according to Dyrkorn.
"In Norway, where we live, surrogacy is not allowed," Dyrkorn wrote in an email. "Same sex couples are allowed to adopt, but very few countries that cooperate with Norway allow children to be adopted by a same sex couple. We know several couples who have become fathers through surrogacy in the U.S., and their experiences have been very positive."
Hutchison said America is also a popular choice for international couples because the baby can easily travel home with them with a U.S. passport.
Pennsylvania, in particular, is a popular place for surrogates because there are no state laws governing surrogacy, Hutchison said, which simplifies the process into a simple court order similar to an adoption process.
Expensive babies: While America may be simplifying the process, it's not a cheap proposition for hopeful parents.

 http://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/health/2016/02/13/gestational-carriers-surrogates-rise-york/80056316/

Portuguese Parliament has liberalized the country’s abortion laws

Left prevails in Portugal with gay adoption and easy abortion

LISBON, Portugal, February 12, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) – The Socialist-Communist majority in the Portuguese Parliament has liberalized the country’s abortion laws granted same-sex couples the ability to adopt children. It had to override the presidential veto to do it.

The Socialist government of Prime Minister Antonio Costa which took office in November made it a priority to legalize adoption by same-sex couples.

Parliament has also removed a requirement that women receive counselling before aborting their children, and that they pay for the procedure from their own pocket.

When the government's coalition with Communists and other parties of the Left passed legislation to that effect in January, President Anibal Cavaco Silva vetoed both. It took a second vote pushed through by Costa this week to obtain the added votes needed to override the president.

Cavaco Silva explained his veto by asking parliamentarians to consider “the child’s best interest” rather than “equality between different and same-sex couples.” He also called for more public debate on such a “sensitive social topic.”

Costa’s Socialists actually got fewer votes than the Centre-Right Portugal Forward coalition of Pedro Passos Coelho in last fall’s general election, but was able to oust the man who governed Portugal since 2011 by uniting the Left in Parliament against his unpopular austerity policies.

In 2014 the conservative majority defeated a move to legalize adoption by same-sex couples, though adoption by individuals of any sexual persuasion was already legal.

Cavaco Silva must sign the amendments into law in a few days. This spring he will retire from office.

The arguments for same-sex adoption are not sustained by objective research, according to Simon Fraser University economist Douglas Allen. Allen told LifeSiteNews that though many studies argue the case that same-sex couples make as good parents, they all suffer from serious methodological weaknesses, especially in biased sampling. In many cases, for example, same-sex couples are self-selected by placing advertisements in gay periodicals or on bulletin boards in gay community clubs. Homosexual couples who are happy with the job they are doing as parents are far more likely to volunteer for such studies than those who are not, heavily skewing the outcome.

Allen’s own study, based simply on correlating the responses of Canadians to the 2006 national census, showed children from same-sex households had two thirds the high school graduation rate of children in heterosexual families.

A second study by Allen and Shih En Lu, published last year as “Marriage and Children: Differences Across Sexual Orientations,” showed Canadian male and female homosexuals marry at a much lower rate than heterosexuals. Surveying government data on 65,000 people, he told LifeSiteNews, “we find that about 12.2% of lesbians are married, 4.5% of gays, and 48.8% of heterosexuals. These numbers are similar to numbers found in Europe. Despite the rhetoric, gays and lesbians do not take up marriage in large numbers.” Since married couples stay together much more than non-marrieds, their children will be both happier and more successful.

 

 https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/left-prevails-in-portugal-with-gay-adoption-and-easy-abortion

 

adopting our daughter from a Ukrainian orphanage

After adopting our daughter from a Ukrainian orphanage in 2002, my family made a commitment to do whatever we can to improve the lives of orphans and homeless children through humanitarian relief efforts, community outreach, and adoption advocacy programs. We do this out of love and because in Matthew 25, Jesus is very clear about his expectations for his followers. Feed the hungry, provide drinks for the thirsty, give clothing to the needy, care for strangers, visit those who are sick or in prison.

Our next journey will take us halfway around the world to Moa Wharf in Sierra Leone. It is a slum where hundreds of children have been made orphans in the wake of the Ebola crisis horror.

Sleeping on piles of rotting clothes and heaping garbage, these young children are vulnerable to disease, physical abuse and exploitation — all danger at its truest form. Girls as young as 5 are the sexual property of wicked men. The orphans are stigmatized and discarded in their own communities.

The children deserve a better life. They have no voice except for yours and mine, and they need us to act on their behalf.

My son Michael and I are making plans to travel to Sierra Leone in July on a humanitarian aid mission as representatives of Embracing Children Adoption Services based in Plymouth.

If your heart leads you to help the Ebola orphans, we would gladly accept your support in the following ways:

• Humanitarian aid: We're accepting donations of new clothing and shoes for children of all ages, first aid supplies, toothbrushes and toothpaste, and other items that can be packed in checked luggage. (No books, liquids, or battery-operated items, please.)
• Financial contributions: A GoFundMe page, https://www.gofundme.com/robinchance, has been set up to provide funding for an interim foster care home for Ebola orphans and for in-country food and medical care, and to help with travel costs.

 

 http://www.swnewsmedia.com/shakopee_valley_news/news/opinion/guest_columns/there-are-children-who-need-our-help/article_886517d9-34a3-5564-af5e-8a201ffedc30.html

 

difficult questions about the ethics of the surrogacy

A battle over triplets raises difficult questions about the ethics of the surrogacy industry and the meaning of parenthood.

By Michelle Goldberg

Photo illustration by Lisa Larson-Walker. Photos by Thinkstock.

Last year, a 47-year-old California woman named Melissa Cook decided to become a commercial surrogate. Cook is a mother of four, including a set of triplets, and had served as a surrogate once before, delivering a baby for a couple in 2013. According to her lawyer, Harold Cassidy, she’d found it to be a rewarding way to supplement the salary she earned at her office job. “Like other women in this situation, she was motivated by two things: One, it was a good thing to do for people, and two, she needed some money,” Cassidy says.

Michelle Goldberg

Michelle Goldberg is a columnist for Slate and the author, most recently, of The Goddess Pose.

• 
  

For her second surrogacy, Cook signed up with a broker called Surrogacy International. Robert Walmsley, a fertility attorney and part owner of the firm, says he was initially reluctant to work with her because of her age, but relented after she presented a clean bill of health from her doctor. Eventually, Surrogacy International matched her with a would-be father, known in court filings as C.M.

According to a lawsuit filed on Cook’s behalf in United States District Court in Los Angeles earlier this month, C.M. is a 50-year-old single man, a postal worker who lives with his elderly parents in Georgia. Cook never met him in person, and because C.M. is deaf, Cassidy says the two never spoke on the phone or communicated in any way except via email. In May, Cook signed a contract promising her $33,000 to carry a pregnancy, plus a $6,000 bonus in case of multiples. In August, Jeffrey Steinberg, a high-profile fertility doctor, used in vitro fertilization to implant Cook with three male embryos that were created using C.M.’s sperm and a donor egg. (According to the lawsuit, the gender selection was done at C.M.’s request.) When an egg donor is under 35, as C.M.’s was, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine strongly recommends implanting only one embryo to avoid a multiple pregnancy, but some clinics will implant more to increase the chances that at least one will prove viable. In this case, they all survived. For the second time in her life, Cook was pregnant with triplets. And soon, the virtual relationship she had with their father would fall apart.

Cook and C.M. are still strangers to each other, but they are locked in a legal battle over both the future of the children she’s going to bear and the institution of surrogacy itself. Because she’s come under pressure to abort one of the fetuses, Cook’s case has garnered some conservative media attention. This story, however, is about much more than the abortion wars. It illustrates some of the thorniest issues plaguing the fertility industry: the creation of high-risk multiple pregnancies, the lack of screening of intended parents, the financial vulnerability of surrogates, and the almost complete lack of regulation around surrogacy in many states.

The United States is one of the few developed countries where commercial, or paid, surrogacy is allowed—it is illegal in Canada and most of Europe. In the U.S., it’s governed by a patchwork of contradictory state laws. Eight states expressly authorize it. Four states—New York, New Jersey, Washington, and Michigan—as well as the District of Columbia prohibit it. In the remaining states, there’s either no law at all on commercial surrogacy or it is allowed with restrictions.

California is considered a particularly friendly place for surrogacy arrangements. In 1993, a California Supreme Court ruling, Johnson v. Calvert, denied the attempts of a gestational surrogate named Anna Johnson to assert maternal rights. (A gestational surrogate is one like Cook who has no genetic relationship to the fetus or fetuses she caries.) What mattered in determining maternity, the court ruled, were the intentions of the various parties going into the pregnancy: “Because two women each have presented acceptable proof of maternity, we do not believe this case can be decided without enquiring into the parties’ intentions as manifested in the surrogacy agreement,” the court said. It was a victory for Walmsley, who represented the couple who’d hired Johnson as their surrogate.

The United States is one of the few developed countries where commercial, or paid, surrogacy is allowed—it is illegal in Canada and most of Europe. 

A 2012 California law, which went into effect this year, codifies procedures for surrogacy agreements; among other things, it specifies that both surrogates and intended parents must have their own lawyers. If a contract is executed in accordance with the law, then a gestational surrogate relinquishes any claim to legal parenthood.

“Surrogacy’s been distinguished as something completely different from adoption,” says Lisa Ikemoto, a UC Davis School of Law professor who specializes in reproductive rights and bioethics. Unlike in adoption, there’s no legally required screening of intended parents. A pregnant woman who offers to give her baby up for adoption can reconsider her decision; in California, a pregnant surrogate cannot. To a large extent, the law “puts a lot of trust in a surrogacy center to make sure that these things are carried out appropriately,” Ikemoto says. “It’s very industry-friendly, and by ‘industry,’ I’m referring to the fertility industry.”

In California, that industry is known for pushing boundaries. It is the state that gave us the so-called Octomom, Nadya Suleman, who gave birth to octuplets in 2009 after her fertility doctor implanted her with 12 embryos. Also in 2009, the Modesto-based surrogacy agency SurroGenesis was revealed to have defrauded clients of millions of dollars, leaving some intended parents unable to pay the surrogates who were carrying their children. The New York Times reported that one surrogate, pregnant with twins and confined to bed rest, received an eviction notice after the couple who had hired her were unable to reimburse her for lost wages.

Three years later, in 2012, a prominent California surrogacy broker named Theresa Erickson was sentenced to prison for leading an international baby-selling ring. Erickson, a former board member of the American Fertility Association, recruited surrogates and sent them to Ukraine, where they were implanted with embryos created from donated eggs and sperm. She put the resulting babies up for adoption, telling prospective parents that they were the result of surrogacies in which the original intended parents had backed out. Erickson collected between $100,000 and $150,000 for each baby. After she was sentenced, she told NBC San Diego that her case represented the “tip of the iceberg” of a corrupt industry.

Even when it’s not corrupt, the industry often tests the limits of bioethics. Steinberg, the doctor who performed Cook’s embryo transfer, was last in the news for marketing embryo screening for hair, eye, and skin color. “This is cosmetic medicine,” he told the Wall Street Journal. “Others are frightened by the criticism but we have no problems with it.” He was a pioneer in the use of IVF for sex selection, and his clinic draws clients from countries around the world where the practice is banned.

“We don’t have good oversight of the whole fertility industry,” says Marcy Darnovsky, executive director of the Center for Genetics and Society in Berkeley, California, and a longtime women’s health advocate. “It’s very underregulated, and we need to be taking that really seriously. California is a surrogacy-friendly state and thinks that it’s doing surrogacy the right way. But there have been enough problems in California that clearly something is not right.”

* * *

From the beginning, the arrangement between Cook and C.M. appears to have been plagued by miscommunication. Cassidy acknowledges that Cook only gave a cursory read to the 75-page surrogacy contract before signing it. Walmsley of Surrogacy International drafted the contract; he is also serving as C.M.’s attorney. (At the time, Cook was being represented by a lawyer named Lesa Slaughter, paid for by C.M.) Cook contends that she didn’t know about the contract’s provision, common in surrogacy agreements, allowing C.M. to request a selective reduction, in which one or more of the fetuses in a multiple pregnancy is aborted. (In reporting this story, I had multiple conversations with Cassidy and Walmsley, but neither allowed me to interview their clients directly.)

According to Cook’s lawsuit, before the embryo transfer, C.M. assured her via email that he could accept responsibility for all the children that might result. But while C.M. had been prepared for twins, he didn’t want triplets. Indeed, her suit says, soon after her pregnancy was confirmed, it became clear that C.M. had exhausted his savings, and wasn’t sure he could care for more than one baby.

 http://www.slate.com/articles/double_x/doublex/2016/02/custody_case_over_triplets_in_california_raises_questions_about_surrogacy.html

planning to use a surrogate mother in Ukraine

Marie* explains why she and her husband are planning to use a surrogate mother in Ukraine:

I was diagnosed with a chronic heart and lung condition a few years ago and, while the news in itself was devastating, I was also shattered by the fact that I would not be able to get pregnant. There is an estimated 30-50 per cent mortality rate for both mother and baby if I was to give birth.

I went from being a normal woman in my mid-20s, working full-time and doing a postgraduate degree by night with all sorts of dreams, to someone who would be fortunate to work part-time and likely require a lung transplant in the future.

From that moment, myself and my boyfriend (now my husband) knew we would go down the road of surrogacy, as adoption is effectively at a standstill in this country.

We had assumed that legislation would be in by now. After the Government chose to remove surrogacy from the Bill last year we decided we could not wait on politicians’ promises any longer. The time is right for us.

Costs

Obviously finances are a consideration and limit where we can go to do the surrogacy. The US is the most straightforward route but it is financially prohibitive – anywhere from €130,000-€170,000 due to the medical and insurance costs there.

As it is, we will probably need to remortgage our home to fund surrogacy in Ukraine.

Emotionally, I think we will struggle through the pregnancy and when we go over to Ukraine to bring our baby home. It’ll be difficult being sent scans and having Skype calls, looking at our surrogate’s bump without really feeling any sense of control or connection.

We have excellent legal advice here and an excellent lawyer in Ukraine so, should there be any hiccups, we will be reassured by the fact that they will be there to help us.

Ethically, we don’t really have any hesitations. We do not feel that women are exploited just to be wombs for rent.

As well as generous compensation, the surrogates receive lots of support and counselling and enter into the agreement of their own free will. That is a choice a woman should be allowed to make for herself, it’s her body.

We really admire anyone who is willing to do that for another couple. This woman will nurture our baby for nine months and we will be forever grateful.

Medication

Medically, we had some reservations but not enough to stop us. I am on a lot of medication and one is dangerous to foetuses so I think I will need to stop this while I take the IVF drugs to stimulate my eggs for egg retrieval.

• How surrogacy works – or doesn’t – in Ireland
• Europan Parliament backs report that denounces surrogacy

Online, we have met lots of couples who have had babies through surrogacy and others who are in the middle of their journey.

We attended some surrogacy support meetings held by the National Infertility Support and Information Group too.

We have been very open with family and friends. They understand that this is what we need to do to complete our family.

As well as remortgaging our house, we will also have to factor in the cost of me not working for the first few months – I won’t get maternity leave – as well as legal costs. We will also need to travel to Ukraine three to four times and will need to stay there for five to six weeks around the time of the birth.

Ukraine is attractive as its surrogacy programmes start at approximately €33,000 and legislation is protective of the intended parents: we will be named on the Ukrainian birth certificate and there will be no mention of the surrogate mother.

The contracts are binding and the surrogate cannot change her mind.

The lack of legislation in Ireland is frustrating because surrogacy is happening – a lot – and is increasing.

Birth cert

As we will be using our own genetic material – my eggs and my husband’s sperm – we should be recognised as the sole parents of our child.

Even though we will be on a Ukrainian birth cert, I will never get to go on the Irish birth cert as my baby’s mother.

Another advantage of legislation would be that Irish couples could openly do the IVF, egg retrieval and freezing of embryos here.

Our biggest hope is that by next year we will be expecting our own child.

I’m scared about being on our own away from our families in a foreign country with a new baby waiting to get home. It’s not how I ever imagined spending my first few weeks of motherhood.

Name has been changed. Story as told to Sheila Wayman

Filling surrogacy support gap

Families Through Surrogacy, which is running the Dublin conference in March, was founded by Australian Sam Everingham after he experienced at first hand the lack of support for intended parents.

“My partner and I had a very tough road to parenthood through surrogacy in India, experiencing the loss of twin boys, Zac and Ben, when they were born premature at 28 weeks,” he says. “Ben survived just seven weeks in a New Delhi hospital; Zac was stillborn.”

On returning home to deal with this loss, it soon became clear there were no support networks or organisations equipped to assist and advise surrogates and intended parents alike. To fill this gap, Everingham set up Surrogacy Australia in 2011 and, two years later, founded Families Through Surrogacy, which he describes as “a non-profit, global, consumer- based organisation”.

Meanwhile, he and his partner, Phil Copland, “found the strength to continue our own journey and had two girls, Zoe and Ruby, via two separate surrogates in India”.

They are now both four and a half years old.

Families Through Surrogacy focuses, he explains, on providing up-to-date resources on surrogacy options around the globe – “no mean feat as this is an area in constant flux. We have seen India, Thailand and Nepal close their borders to foreigners seeking surrogacy in the recent past.”

As to what countries Irish intended parents should consider, he points out that certain US states such as California, Nevada and Oregon have long experience of surrogacy (30-plus years).

“This experience means surrogate screening, matching and care is second to none. However, the US system can be pricey,” he acknowledges.

“Canada is emerging as a somewhat more affordable, yet still reliable, option and in Europe, Ukraine has been offering legal, well-run surrogacy programmes to heterosexuals for 15 years.”

 http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/health-family/this-woman-will-nurture-our-baby-for-nine-months-we-will-be-forever-grateful-1.2530965

Children Adoption in Ukraine

The history of Ukraine adoption this is the rare example where the private initiative of the organization changed the system in the state. Children Adoption in Ukraine is one of the main initiatives and efforts in the fight against abandonment of children and most importantly give a family to a child instead of the boarding schools and orphanages.
I firmly believe that orphanages in Ukraine should not exist as a long term solution, every child should have a family and the only job of state orphanage should be to help find adoptive parents for the waiting children, who left with no parental care for whatever life’ reason.
The political will to help every child to find family and to abandon old system of Ukraine orphanages. The motto word for Ukraine adoption policy should be “Every child needs a family” and it shall become official state policy in the Ukraine adoption field. To take the best of international practice and policies, and to make it a working practice in Ukraine, to change Ukraine adoption policy in accordance to the best accepted standard in Europe and America, to live up to highest standards of what is best for the child, that we a country can do. And then each child in Ukraine will have a chance for a family, a chance for the future, a chance for the happiness. Lets at least try our best.
thanks to the Internet, Ukrainian information and news on Ukraine adoption through the blogs and news portal like Ukraine adoption gets out to news partners in all-Ukrainian public organization facilitating adoption in Ukraine. The war reveals all the problems and the number of children-orphans who deprived of parental care is growing. This applies to both the Donetsk and Lugansk regions, and in the whole of Ukraine. For the first 9 months of 2015 have been adopted and taken into foster care 513 children (last year during the same period, were 760 children transferred to orphanages.

The Family, which everyone needs

Why have we chosen assistance to Ukraine orphanages of family type specifically not the general orphanage house but specific family-type orphanages ? Because we believe: children need a family. Of course, boarding schools, also requires help and assistance in every way but we believe the primal concept is different here, family -type orphanages has the key word that other type of government care for abandoned children do not have, it s the Family. Family type should bring to every orphan in its care something what every orphan needs the most is the Family. Every orphan kid likewise any other kid needs needs many other things as well but what he is deprived of is family care. It is certain we must provide all orphan children with what they need like food and clothing, sport gears and equipment, furniture, school belonging etc , and we will to the extent finances will permit us to do so, but what we can not provide is a Family. This is the new national policy of Ukraine on the public domain of Ukraine adoption: Family is a priority. Therefore under new Ukraine adoption  policies domestic and international adoption are set forth as prerogative in any decision on the fate of the abandoned children and only in those case where adoption of a child into a family is no longer an option then other state care solution should be considered. Family-type orphanage come into option of a secondary priority option in determining the future of abandoned child. It is also announced that before 2020 all or at least majority of school boards orphanages should be closed as outlive old state care facilities in upbringing orphan children. It is sure a daring statement on the part of the government, the goal is set too high almost at non-achievable level, but at least if we do only half the work government set out to do, we still going to achieve a great deal of good dead. So we will try. This is national policy towards Ukraine adoption practice set forth right now in Ukraine. The objective – children’s homes of family type as the Large adoptive family.

Family-type orphanages first appeared in Ukraine in 1989, but until 2008 were not favored nor actively present in Ukraine. It was only when state actively involved in the work of developing such approach it not not become a common solution to the problem of orphanage children. There were units all over Ukraine, in these orphanages were raised just 4 thousand children, in comparison in boarding schools were raise around 30 thousand in the same period of time. In Donetsk region were set up first family-type orphanages back in 2008 and later since 2011 in Ukraine.

In 2011 new project “Family for child”, and we started with the Dnepropetrovsk region, where new approach was developed of family forms of care, supported foster families, helped orphanages of family type. It turned out that in the Dnepropetrovsk region children quite readily accept the education. There were many such families created in Dnepropetrovsk region. As the result, today in the orphanages of Dnepropetrovsk region are somewhere around 500 orphans only, and you can assume that eventually we will find families for everyone!

Ukraine Church against the ban on abortion

Ukraine Church Metropolit Volodymyr against the ban on abortion

Metropolit Volodymyr spoke against the ban of abortions at the legislative level, adding that they need to fight “word and heart”.

Such opinion the head of the UOC of the Russian Patriarchate Church in Ukraine said on the air.

In particular, answering the question as it relates to the initiative to at the legislative level, the termination of pregnancy, Metropolit stated that the Church categorically “denies the possibility of abortion”, including their sin of murder.

“Regarding religious understanding – this murder, which terminates the life of a particular person,” he said.

“But there is another point of view. It is hardly necessary abortions to preach. We must fight against them, and this fight goes on,” said the Metropolit.

In his opinion, banning abortion will not bring the desired results. “It is better with no prohibitive law”.

Ukraine MP Shkil who proposed ban on abortion in Ukraine believes that to conduct such operations only if pregnant suffering from tuberculosis, diabetes, serious diseases of the lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, cardiovascular diseases and cancer or other medical reasons as well as the life threat disease to a child.

 

 

MP initiative was to ban abortion in Ukraine

Therefore new MP initiative was to ban abortion in Ukraine but met with the strong opposition

Ukraine MP Minister Bogatyreva banning abortion: everyone should have a choice

She stated “I am against abortion, but people should have a choice,” – said Bogatyrev.

“This choice depends not only on doctors but also on many issues: the environment in which woman was, whether she sees herself with a child or without, – said the Minister. – Until 1953 medical abortion in the USSR were banned and very severely punished. And there was a terrible mortality statistics of young women from illegal abortion – because if a person decided to do something, he will find a way to do it.”

There is also inherent conflict of interests : Doctors doing abortions violate the Hippocratic oath, that all doctors make prior becoming a doctor by status and profession. This statement made in Ukraine not only by the  Church but also by many citizens. While Raisa Bohatyryova stressed that she does not advise anyone to have abortions, it should not be banned.

“There will always be someone from the medical staff who will be able to help you with such personal decision such as an abortion.” – she summed up.

We will remind, earlier the MP Andrey Shkil has registered in the Verkhovna Rada Parliament of Ukraine a draft law banning women to voluntarily have abortions.

 

 

Ukraine people were less likely to leave newborn children

Improvement of the situation contributed to the prevention of unwanted pregnancies

Ukrainians have become less likely to abandon newborns. As statistics shows that in Ukraine people were less likely to leave newborn children in maternity homes. This was officially declared on the press conference, by the Deputy Director of the Department of motherhood, childhood and sanatorium ensuring V. Kolomiychuk. “In 2010, hospitals were left more than 700 children, and last year 599”, – said V. Kolomiychuk. According to the expert, the improvement of the situation contributed to the prevention of unwanted pregnancies. We will remind, earlier it was reported that Ukrainian Schoolgirls make 2 thousand abortions a year.
 

 

The project is intended to be interactive with adoptive parents

In the framework of a new social projects that have started in Ukraine, project organizer will introduce potential adoptive parents and interested in becoming one citizen with the real stories of adoptive waiting children who are in orphanages of Ukraine right now. The project is intended to be interactive where adoptive parents and compassionate people can help these children, as foster parents, potential adoptive parents or just as the friends of children citizens by taking part in the mentoring program. The fate of these children can change for the better with your help – in any case, and opportunity to track children success in the future.

Ukraine adoption initiative take a creative role to bring to the public attention the awareness of the problem of abandoned children in Ukraine and to create the environment for the better understanding of the need to bring this equal opportunity to each and every one child in Ukraine through adoption or foster care or at least public support and awareness of lives of these children in Ukraine orphanage, their daily difficulties and life obstacles, children who needs help from compassionate people. Children who needs adoption into domestic or international adoptive families or foster parents to better their lives and life opportunities.

In Kiev opened an exhibition devoted to problems of upbringing of children in orphanages. In the art gallery will show 8 art objects by Ukrainian artists, United by one theme, also in the gallery in Kiev, launched the exhibition-presentation of socio-cultural project “Open doors for children”. “We have a chance to realize the need for radical change to ensure equal rights for all children and provide an opportunity to grow in an environment of love and care,” said organizers in a release event. The project organized by the organization “Hope and homes”.

According to organizers, the project aims to emphasize the fact that the European integration is impossible without changes in every sphere of life, and especially in the lives of children who live in orphanages without the opportunity to exercise their rights in society.

The project involved artists and photographers, who provided eight of the art facilities. The first one is located at the entrance to the gallery. It is the cradle from 7 balloons, which symbolize the hope that the system would be destroyed.

Renowned photographer and documentary filmmaker Alexander Glyadelov is a social photo project “become as little children” – series of works of children from orphanages to family-type homes.

The painter Anton Logov has created an installation of mirrors, “a Long journey”. On the mirror written dreams and thoughts of children living in orphanages, which provide an opportunity to see how the lives of these children and to see myself in the mirror, to reflect on their own participation in the solution of this problem.

The work of Alexandra Gomeloboi is an example of how different children develop in the family and in the orphanage.

Yuriy Kruchak at the exposition will present the documentary project “Free wing”. The artist, visiting orphanages, taught children to create a flying machine – a glider – as a symbol of dreams that can be launched into the sky. The exhibition presents the works of these children, as well as videos about their lives.

Alina Pivnenko is a series of three portraits of famous people who were adopted, among them: the founder of Apple Steve Jobs, scientist-cosmologist Stephen Hawking and actor Pablo Pineda. Portraits-collages were created with fabric and glossy paper.

Completes project work Catherine Buchach. “Not rooted” are the plants in the water, in a sterile environment and with the perfect light, but without the land in which they could germinate. Through plants, the author shows families that cannot take root without children.

Adoption policies were in favor of domestic adoption in Ukraine

In the previous policies of Ukraine on children adoption programs under previous president of Ukraine Yanukovych national adoption programs were set in favor of Ukraine domestic adoption “Ukrainian orphans should be adopted Ukrainians” rather then international adoption programs, today under a new government Ukraine national policy focus on results of bring together adoptive families and waiting children together regardless of origin of adoptive parents national Ukrainian adoptive parents of international adoptive parents, the focus remain clear, every child should be place with adoptive parents.

The previous president of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych should be credited with much of the positive changes that was made under his governance, he called for an improvement of the responsible authorities in Ukraine adoption field, but policies were in favor of domestic adoption of Ukraine children -orphans to be adopted by citizens of Ukraine.

He told about it during all-Ukrainian meeting on child rights, and what priorities should be for Ukraine adoption authorities, here is some of his statement to the press service of the President.

“We need to make sure every child deprived of parental care, regardless of age and health was adopted by citizens of Ukraine and stayed in the Homeland,” he said.

The head of state stressed that Ukraine should be improved the system of informing of citizens about the possibilities of adoption.

“We need to improve, to overcome stereotypes in such a delicate area of adoption, better inform citizens, to more effectively involve media,” – said Yanukovych.

The President noted that in the last 2 years the number of children adopted by citizens of Ukraine is constantly decreasing.

Yanukovych stressed that at least in the media and there are calls to adopt children, but information about the children themselves are hard to find.

“From screens of TVs and pages of Newspapers are continually urging people to take the orphaned child into their family, but information about what children may be adopted to find very difficult,” said President.

According to him, the responsible authorities should effectively attract the media to their information campaigns.

Ukraine started new mentoring project for children-orphans

Ukraine adoption program facilitates Ukrainians who wish to become mentors with orphanage children. In Ukraine started new mentoring project for children-orphans and children who deprived of parental care as Ukraine  states the status of children in custody of federal government family-type orphanages. Representatives of Service for children of Kiev and mentoring project “One Hope” – the first turn to participate in the project are selected teenagers who have no loved ones. Volunteers who are willing to become close friends for the orphans, undergo a rigorous selection and special training under the federal program of Ukraine adoption set forth for domestic adoptive parents and people considering the option of adopting children from orphanages.

“The goal of the project is the formation of the closest emotional relationships,by and between adoptive parents under domestic adoption parents and waiting children in Ukraine orphanages’ says a curator from the Service for children of Julia Udovenko. Similar program will be set forth for international adoptive families wishing to undergo similar type of program to have such opportunity to meet with waiting children in Ukraine adoption orphanages. – A mentor is a friend who will be with the child to enjoy his success, to which the child can turn to for help. A long-term project, it does not end at the exit of the child from the orphanage. If possible, the mentor should invite the child to my family, on weekends, on vacation. For starters, such outlets can be a caregiver from the orphanage or from the coordinator of our project”. Lean more on this programs and initiative set forth under Ukraine adoption project one child – one family.

 

 

Get the help where ever you can

If there is a will there is a way as the popular saying goes one children adoption service agency sent children from orphanages at the world hockey championship

Students of the Kyiv, Ukraine municipal orphanage №1, the Stationary-educational boarding school №26 and children from crisis families had the unique opportunity to visit the world hockey championship, held at the Ice arena SEC “Terminal” in Brovary (Kyiv region).

Trip for pupils of Kyiv boarding schools organized by the international charitable Foundation, reported on the official website of ICF.

According to the Director of the boarding school O. Pavlichenko, the attention of organizers and unforgettable emotions – this is the ultimate gift for the orphans. “Our pupils had no opportunities to attend such an event. Comfortable buses, which delivered the children to the championship and back to the hostel for a delicious dinner created an atmosphere of celebration,” said O. Pavlichenko. According to her, such events not only give children experience, but also stimulate their desire to play sports and get the joy of victory. Learn more on efforts made out to Ukraine adoption programs by international adoption agencies and associations. “To overestimate the emotional rise children it’s hard, I’m sure that this championship they will never forget,” said O. Pavlichenko.

Children from Kyiv city orphanage No. 1 told that the championship they liked, the game was fun and intense and they got unforgettable impressions. “To be honest, I’ve never had the opportunity to attend such an event. I am fond of hockey and because this event was for me a real treat. In addition, I enjoyed the trip, I even saw a real game professionals. I thank the Foundation for the opportunity to attend this celebration and the sea of positive emotions”, – said the pupil in a city shelter Alexander P.

 

 

The history of adoption in Ukraine

How to adopt abandoned children in Ukraine ?

For past years of children adoption foundation in Ukraine has helped thousands children to find their adoptive parents and foster care. Two out of these three adopted children were adopted in Ukraine through domestic adoption program with Ukrainian parents. All these children are the lucky ones, they have found their adoptive families their fathers and mothers, their new families. They will grow in their new families and there be a lot of doors that will be opened before them. It will not be easy. But they already have and will have a choice. Something other children do not have.

The history of adoption in Ukraine – this is the rare example where the private initiative of the organization changed the system in the state. Ukraine Adoption is one of the main tools, and probably the most important method in the fight against children abandonment in Ukraine as well as in any other country that face the same problem of abandoned children like Ukraine adoption today. For other children who have not found their adoptive family the choice will be left between the boarding schools and orphanages.

There are many voice today that says that Ukraine should do away with this old system of orphanages in Ukraine, it is simply should not exist any more. Who would of say no ? Children should grow up in families, and good families, but do we actually have this alternatives? Perhaps orphanages of family type a new government initiatives will do help in solving the problem to a certain extent but it will not solve the problem to the point that entire boarding school system can be dismantled and forgotten as the thing of the past.

Here are some barriers?

First, the “residential” system of orphanage in Ukraine is new and not fully developed as the concept it is positive but it is still new. It works this way to prevent adoption of the children by adoptive parents in both domestic and/or international adoptions. The argument behind this statement is in the fact how these family type orphanage organized, they get their government financing as a boarding schools based on the number of orphaned children admitted in the school. Therefore, as the argument goes employees of these institution family-type orphanages are the first people who are not interested in adoption of their orphanage children.

Very often, children are being hidden from potential adoptive parents, who would take the child or children into their personal adoptive family, not the institution family type orphanage. It is also noted that these family-type orphanages attribute to a non-existent illness or mental disorder of the child to prevent these children to be adopted by adoptive parents, as a some sort of deterrent factor that will discourage adoptive parents from going any further to adopt these children, labeled with mental disease. But will these institution family-type orphanage any better for a child then adoptive family ? of course not. But bureaucracy still makes its way. Certainly these people and institutions are not govern by the best interest of the child.

Every good adoptive organization in Ukraine shall be able to verify these “disease” and tell the truth to adoptive parents, the true state of health of the adoptive child and with the help of authorised adoptive agencies to  overcome all of these obstacles and get these “institutional disease” treated immediately with the help of government legal assistance office. Ukraine policies towards abandoned children in orphanages are made clear for everyone and give priorities in the field of adoption, both domestic adoptions and international adoption. Ukraine adoption is the priority policy towards abandoned children in Ukraine.

The second problem, which systematically employs only the public initiative is the formation in Ukraine of the culture of adoption. Although over the last 10 years have seen fantastic mental shift in culture of adoption in Ukraine there is still much left to be done to develop better understanding and public receipt and public encouragement for adoption. Now adoption in Ukraine is no taboo subject for discussion, no shame, no big deal. But still it is not yet encouraged and public did not speak in favor of it openly. The process of public learning is still going on with much of a progress.

The third problem is the most difficult right now, it has been aggravated by the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine is a social orphanhood. This is when devastated economic fabric of society and deteriorating welfare state and medical care forcing parents to leave children because of socio-economic problems or because of severe diseases of child.

Ukraine adoption programs has all “prescriptions and drugs” in order to solve the problem of orphanhood and to permanently close the doors of children’s orphan homes.

Ukraine adoption federal program shall adopt only 4 steps:

1. The political will to close orphanages as the system for child care, with adoption programs in place to care for abandoned children

2. Motto “Every child needs a family” has already become official state policy of Ukraine in the adoption field

3. To take working adoption policies and practice in Ukraine to support both domestic adoption and international adoption of Ukraine children. To adopt the best of international practice and policy in the field of domestic and international adoptions.

4. Roll the sleeves and work

Then each of the presently abandoned child in Ukraine will have a chance for a new family, a chance for the future, a chance at happiness.

God Bless

Issues of children adoption in Ukraine

Children of Donetsk were evacuated to foster families

In the Donetsk region situation with adoptive children were difficult to say at least the region hit by the war. War ruined many lives and affected all people living there and in Ukraine as a country no one left untouched by the war. War distracted all the attention – the state became less concerned with children and issues of children adoption in Ukraine, effort towards issues of children abandonment became neglected by officials in Kiev, because in the foreground there were other problems brought by the war. No, of course, we do not see a sharp decline in government help to help orphan children, but we don’t see any growth, which is a must in situation of war and it is very sad.

And this despite the fact that in previous years orphanages in Donetsk have achieved development of a systematic approach to the orphan hood in the country. We have focused on the prevention of this phenomenon as the primal cause of abandoned kids, government assistance to families in difficult situations did help to avoid may families from total collapse and therefore prevent children from being send to orphanage system, the preservation of the native family for every child was the goal in mind for every social welfare program introduced by the state, and our lead began to follow in other part of Ukraine in other orphanage system on both municipal and federal level of children programs. There were created two mother and child center model type service in Donetsk and Kiev, to help ease the program of orphanage in Ukraine and they helped to keep children in families who wanted to give up the baby to orphanage in Ukraine. There was an opened a support Center for families and children, which helps more than 1 thousand families to keep the family and their children in their families… But war has put a stop on further program progress and the present efforts and expense from the government is not enough. Therefore in our opinion the help to children today may come from adoptive parents both national and international adoption programs and adoptive families. Ukraine adoption is a one single program that may give the most amount of help to all orphanage in Ukraine. Ukraine adoption international assistance to adoptive parents the one requires least amount of government support, and except of regulation free government effort of helping abandoned kids in Ukraine orphanages. Ukraine adoption domestic program expected to be the most effective solution to deal with abandoned children in Ukraine but requires substantial government assistance programs to the Ukraine domestic adoptive families who will adopted children from orphanages in Ukraine.

We all should remember that behind mere listing of achievements there are all of us, Ukraine children in orphanages and in adoptive families, there are lives and stories , there are our Ukraine history. Stories of those who did not get into a boarding school because he already had a home, and every home with children is a valuable and must be cherished.

But now in Donetsk everything stopped. Our first priority was the salvation of men who fight in war. Children of Donetsk were evacuated to foster families and family-type orphanages away from the war zone, but for how long the war shall continues , nobody knows … for now in matters of child abandonment, its overcoming and prevention in the country everything has practically stopped…

Presidential Commissioner for children’s rights

“In Ukraine there is no youth policy”- Opinion

Recently in Ukraine start to appear a clear national youth policy, clear policies and set practice for Ukraine adoption, fostercare and orphanage.

This was announced by presidential Commissioner for children’s rights during a round table on the topic “Easy to be young” at the Gorshenin Institute.

“It’s hard for me to say unequivocally that has been the state youth policy. Recently very difficult to determine where it’s directed. There are no government programs, no clear funding to solve the problems of youth, almost a year was formed the state service of youth and sports. So to say that there is a clearly defined public policy, I can not”, – said Pavlenko.

According to the expert, this policy should be directed at the ability of youth to develop and achieve success in their country of Ukraine.

“It is obvious that the current generation is better than the previous one, in terms of independence and clarity. For them there is only one country – Ukraine. There is no allegiance to another country. The fact that 65% of Ukrainians, according to sociological research, are proud of their country, just prove it. “

 

 

Ukrainians want to have more than one child

Ukraine has the chance of a population explosion

More than half of young Ukrainians want to have more than one child.

This was told by Vadim Denisenko, chief editor of the weekly “Komentari” during the presentation of the results of sociological survey “Youth of Ukraine”.

The study was conducted by the Gorshenin Institute and the weekly “Komentari” with the support of Victor Pylypyshyn Fund.

“We have a chance to get out of demographic crisis, a great chance. According to our study, more than 68% of respondents said they want to have two or more children. To the question “How many children you want to have?” was almost 16% reported one child, but of 68.3% two, 14% three, and almost 2% – four and more. Trend is — in theory — is very optimistic,” – said Denisenko.

According to him, family is a priority for today’s youth. 75% girls and 64.3%. answering the question “What is important to you — family or career?”, chose family.

Ukraine may join the European network of children’s ombudsmen

Pavlenko plans to strengthen the protection of children’s rights in Ukraine.

Ukraine is ready to implement the recommendations for membership of the European network of ombuds persons for the rights of the child (ENOC), which unites 27 countries.

This was stated by Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for children’s rights Yuriy Pavlenko during a meeting with the Commissioner for children’s rights of Poland, Chairman of ENOC Marek Michalak, reported in a press-service of the head of state. The new policies will affect Ukraine adoption programs, adoption process in respect to the domestic adoption and adoption practice in relevance to the international adoption with respect to international adoptive parents and foreign families wishing to adopt a child or chilkdren from Ukraine.

“We believe it is extremely important for Ukraine’s membership in the European network of children’s ombudsmen. Therefore, we prepared step by step to implement the suggestions that will come from ENOC in order to gradually acquire the membership”, – said Commissioner on children right in Ukraine.

Speaking about his activities in the position of Commissioner for children’s rights, Yuriy Pavlenko noted that for 9 months of work followed by a General analysis of the situation in the state for the protection of children’s rights, including without limitation international adoption policies towards international adoptive parents and families wishing to adopt children from Ukraine, as well as sociological research, in which for the first time in the history of Ukraine will reflect the thought of the child. In addition, carried out monitoring and analysis of action of institutions in relation to the child, reviewed more than 1,500 citizens, almost half of which children’s rights have been restored, initiated the prosecution of guilty officials.

“The results drafted and submitted proposals for amendments to the legislation in protecting the rights of children in Ukraine”, – said Commissioner.

Regarding the organization of work for the protection of children’s rights in Ukraine Chairman of the European network of ombuds persons for children’s rights Marek Michalak noted that for efficient operation it is necessary to introduce the European model of the Ombudsman is competent and independent, which has certain immunities during operation in Ukraine, legislative support for its activities from Ukraine Government and officials across across political and administrative bodies of Ukraine, the right of legislative initiative and independent budget to successfully function in Ukraine.

Also, according to M. Michalak, it is important that the Commissioner have the right to monitor the realization of programs of children’s rights in other institutions and mechanisms of punishment in case of their violation. Special attention was drawn to the need for the development of the office of Ombudsman for children in Ukraine, because under his care shall be about 8 million Ukrainians minors.

The great number of other related question shall be promoted to public attention in Ukraine through the use and efforts of the new office. Question of Ukraine adoption were not left aside but rather required a focus and coordination to create and develop comprehensive and internationally compliant adoption program in Ukraine which will adequately address the issues and answers all the questions in both international adoption from Ukraine by international adoption parents and internationally qualified adoptive families who wish to adopt a child from Ukraine, but equally responsive to all issues and questions arising from programs of domestic adoptions in Ukraine by Ukrainian citizen. All question on Ukraine adoption programs will be discussed publicly and shall be brought up for discussion by international expert in these domain.

During the meeting the sides agreed to exchange experience between Ukrainian and Polish specialists and the organization of internships in the office of the Polish children’s Ombudsman.

Earlier it was reported that the UN welcomes the establishment in Ukraine of the office of Ombudsman for children.

 

 

Pavlenko reminded Ukrainian children about their rights

Authorized on the rights of the child on the occasion of September 1, wrote the children a letter.

The presidential Commissioner for the rights of the child in Ukraine, on the occasion of 1 September first day of school, appealed to Ukrainian children with an open letter.

Commissioner has reminded young Ukrainians that the summer holidays are over and the new school year started. “I want to emphasize, dear children, that the school is not only lessons and homework. This is an opportunity to discover and develop your personal skills, share knowledge, be helpful to classmates, to know friends in fellowship and mutual support.

Emphasize that the right to education in Ukraine – it’s your inalienable right guaranteed by the Constitution of Ukraine and the UN Convention on the rights of the child in Ukraine.” Commissioner on the personal rights of the child in Ukraine also noted that it is important for children know and understand their rights. “It is a guarantee of your confidence in your abilities and a decent future. You are required to learn and to know and be able to enjoy your rights and freedom as Ukrainian citizen.”

“Dear children! You have the right to be heard and always heard on all questions in all situations and decisions that concern you. Your opinion should be considered by adults and your teachers.

Any violence against you is prohibited. The state guarantees protection from physical and psychological violence, insults and abuse, neglect, ill-treatment, all forms of exploitation by parents, guardians, teachers, or any other person. Remember this.

You have the right in Ukraine stated by Constitution to protection from discrimination. No one has the right to humiliate or despise you for social origin (i.e., from what family or environment your origin), nationality, religion or state of health.

Although, remember that your parents or guardians responsible for your development and life. In your best interest they care about you, so you must listen to them and respect their will,” reads the letter.

Commissioner told the children to turn to him in case of any problem and provided my contact information, including mailing and email address, the page in social network Facebook, and wished Ukrainian children, “a successful year, do not worry about failure, joy and have a new achievements to share with parents, friends and teachers who are your first helpers in training.”

In Berlin to coordinate actions in case of deterioration of the situation in the Donbas

The agreement of Merkel and Hollande to meet Poroshenko the foreign Ministry is considered the support of Ukraine.
In Berlin on 24 August the President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Francois Hollande should agree on further steps in case of deterioration of the situation in the Donbas because of the actions of Russia.
About it the Ambassador at large MFA of Ukraine Dmitry Kuleba said this on the air “24 channel”, writes UNIAN.
Kuleba noted that the purpose of the meeting in Berlin is to inform the leaders of Germany and France on the real situation in the East of Ukraine.
“On the basis of the provided information and exchange of views, the three heads of state must coordinate their response and their next steps to develop the script… to be ready, fully armed if Russia did choose the path of further escalation,” – said Kuleba.
According to the diplomat, the agreement of Merkel and Hollande to meet Poroshenko in a trilateral format is a signal to Russia that Ukraine no one leaves alone with the aggressor.

The Commissioner for children’s rights Yuriy Pavlenko resigned

He stated that categorically condemns the use of violence by the security forces. The presidential Commissioner for children’s rights Yuriy Pavlenko submitted a letter of resignation due to “failure to perform their duties”.
He stated this on his page in Facebook.
“Strongly condemn the violence by the special forces against peaceful demonstrators, youth, students and children,” – said Pavlenko.
The Commissioner added that up to this point he had done everything possible to ensure the rights of children-the protesters or the children dragged into the conflict. “Today will continue to do this as a citizen of Ukraine”, – said Pavlenko.
He also called on all parties to stop the bloodshed.
 

 

Ukraine agreed with Russia about the treatment of children from the zone ATO

Russia is trying to take 200 Ukrainian children.
Commissioner of the President of Ukraine for children’s rights Mykola Kuleba has refuted the information on the organization in the Russian Federation treatment 200 Ukrainian children affected by armed conflict. About it reports “Interfax-Ukraine”.
“The Commissioner of the President of Ukraine on the rights of the child officially reported that any agreements with the representatives of the Russian Federation regarding the necessity of the treatment of Ukrainian children”, – said Kuleba.
The Ombudsman noted that the representatives of the Russian Federation addressed only a request for assistance in returning to Ukraine six children, whose parents own was taken for treatment in Russia.
“Pavel Astakhov, Commissioner for children’s rights at the President of the Russian Federation, had indeed offered to hold a bilateral meeting on neutral territory in Minsk, but our pre-proposal to identify issues for negotiations and no response was received,” – said Kuleba.
Recall, on the eve of the Russian children’s Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said that about two hundred children affected by the fighting in Ukraine may be transferred for treatment to Russia under auspices of the Ukrainian Ombudsman for children’s rights Mykola Kuleba.
He noted that as evidence that Russia intends to return the children back to Ukraine after treatment, Moscow gave Kyiv a detailed report that taken from 48 children of 40 returned, the life of one child, doctors could not be saved, the other children continue treatment.

The Ombudsman for children appointed Kuleba

Mykola Kuleba the head of service for children of Kiev city state administration.

President Petro Poroshenko has appointed Nicholas Kuleba the authorized President by the rights of the child.

The corresponding decree published on the website of the President.

Mykola Kuleba – head of service for children of Kiev city state administration.

As reported, on February 20, the presidential Commissioner for children’s rights Yuriy Pavlenko resigned.

Yanukovych thankful for adopted children

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has called on Ukrainians that are considering adoption of a child, do not doubt, please do adopt.

This is stated in the address of the President to the Ukrainian people on the occasion of the Day of Ukraine adoption.

“I appeal to those Ukrainians who are thinking over adopting a child. Do not hesitate, do this step, because there is nothing finer in the world than joyous laughter and happy eyes of the child”, – the statement says.

In Ukraine adoption  every year increases the number of people who want to adopt a child in Ukraine. Only in 2009 there were adopted more than 2 thousand children in Ukraine.

Yanukovych expressed gratitude to every Ukrainian family who have adopted a Ukrainian child.

“Words of respect to those who were not afraid of difficulties and today is raising several adopted children, even sick Ukrainian children. Grateful also for foster parents in Ukraine, my gradytude goes to caregivers of children’s homes of family type, doctors, teachers, social workers, anyone and everyone who helps children find their family, helps Ukraine adoptions, who gives support and encouragement to both adoptive children and adoptive families, who gives them faith and hope for a better future”, – said in the appeal.

 

 

In Dnepropetrovsk adoptive parents are actively adopt

In Dnepropetrovsk adoptive parents are actively adopt not only babies but also older children

With the beginning of the year in Dnepropetrovsk adopted 58 boys and girls, 48 of which – citizens of Ukraine, and the other 10 are foreign adoptive families. This is stated in the press service of the Dnipropetrovsk city Council on the 28th of Septembe on Ukraine adoption in the city.

“In Dnepropetrovsk actively adopt not only babies but also older children as well. Of the total number of adopted 21 children under 1 year, 14 children aged 1 to 3 years, 9 boys and girls 4 to 6 years and 14 children aged 7 to 18 years”, – stated in the message.

Recall that for the development and support of national Ukraine adoption legislation provides support for adoptive parents who adopt a child from Ukraine. From 1 January 2009 a Ukrainian family that adopted a child-orphan, receives guaranteed financial support from the state in the amount of 12,240 thousand UAH and one-time paid leave in connection with the Ukraine adoption of a child by duration 56 calendar days.

It is also noted that in 2006 the authority with respect to accounting of orphan children and children deprived of parental care were transferred from the education authorities to offices-services children. Since that time in Dnepropetrovsk was adopted 535 orphans and children deprived of parental care.

As it became known, on the account in Management of service for children of the Dnipropetrovsk city Council is 2108 orphans and children deprived of parental care, of them 590 – children–orphans and 1518 – children deprived of parental care. In addition, the record is 1416 children who are brought up in families and 652 of the child in state institutions.