Kenya Bans Child Adoption by Foreigners

Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:26 pm

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday announced an immediate ban on adoption of children by foreign nationals .
A special cabinet meeting chaired by President Kenyatta directed the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to formulate a new policy document to regulate the adoption of children by foreign nationals in Kenya .
The meeting also directed the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection to streamline operations of the Child Welfare Society of Kenya and those in children homes in the country .
The cabinet also revoked all licenses to conduct inter- country adoptions in Kenya with immediate effect .
The East African nation current laws do not define child sale , child procuring, child trade and child laundering as part of trafficking, which had in effect put Kenyan children at high risk .
It has created a loophole for fraudulent vested interests, masquerading through ownership of children homes, adoption agencies to engage in the unscrupulous business of human trafficking under the guise of charity .
Legal firms representing children and adopters are also not left out .
( Xinhua /NAN )