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Banning of Intercountry Adoption in Ethiopia: Implications on the Right

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Banning of Intercountry Adoption in Ethiopia: Implications on the Right ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF LAW SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES The Ban on Intercountry Adoption in Ethiopia: Implications on the Right to Alternative Care By: Melat Assefa Advisor: Wondemagegn Tadesse (PHD) A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT FOR THE REQUIREMENT OF MASTER’S DEGREE IN CONSTITUTIONAL AND PUBLIC LAW (L.L.M) Addis Ababa June, 2018 ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF LAW SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES Approval Sheet The Ban on Intercountry Adoption in Ethiopia: Implications on the Right to Alternative Care By Melat Assefa Approved by: _______________________ _________________ Advisor‟s name signature ________________________ _________________ Examiner/Reader‟s name signature ________________________ _________________ Examiner/Reader‟s name signature Declaration I, the undersigned, declare that the thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a degree in any other university and that all sources of materials used in the thesis have been duly acknowledged. Declared by: Melat Assefa Signature_________________ Date_________________ Confirmed by: Wondemagegn Tadesse (PHD) Signature_________________ Date_________________ Table of Contents Acronyms ....................................................................................................................................................... i Acknowledgment .......................................................................................................................................... ii Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ iii Chapter One: Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1 1.1. Background ........................................................................................................................................ 1 1.2. Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................................. 4 1.3. Research Questions ........................................................................................................................... 7 1.4. Objectives of the study ...................................................................................................................... 7 1.4.1. General Objective ....................................................................................................................... 7 1.4.2. Specific Objectives ...................................................................................................................... 7 1.5. Significance of the Study .................................................................................................................... 7 1.6. Limitation and Scope.......................................................................................................................... 8 1.6.1. Limitation .................................................................................................................................... 8 1.6.2. Scope ........................................................................................................................................... 8 1.7. Operational Definitions ...................................................................................................................... 8 1.2. Methodology and Methods ............................................................................................................... 9 1.2.1. Research Design ........................................................................................................................ 10 1.2.2. Sources of Data ......................................................................................................................... 10 1.2.3. Sampling Techniques ................................................................................................................ 11 1.2.4. Methods of Data Collection/Instruments ................................................................................. 11 1.2.5. Methods of Data Analysis ......................................................................................................... 11 1.2.6. Trustworthiness and Data Quality Assurance ........................................................................... 12 1.2.7. Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................................... 12 1.2.8. Organization of the study ......................................................................................................... 13 Chapter Two ................................................................................................................................................ 14 2.1. Literature Review ............................................................................................................................. 14 2.1.1. International Legal Framework for Intercountry Adoption ...................................................... 14 2.1.2. Factors that necessitate Intercountry Adoption ....................................................................... 18 2.1.3. Arguments for and against Intercountry Adoption .................................................................. 19 2.1.4. Classification of Adoption ......................................................................................................... 20 2.1.5. Problems faced by Children adopted through Intercountry Adoption ..................................... 21 2.1.6. Orphans with Cross-sectional Problems ................................................................................... 24 2.1.7. Issues on Transracial Adoption ................................................................................................. 25 2.2. Lessons from the World ................................................................................................................... 26 2.2.1. Dima Yakovlev Law (Russian Federation) ................................................................................. 26 2.2.2. Romania .................................................................................................................................... 30 2.2.3. The Republic of Uganda ............................................................................................................ 33 Chapter Three: The Banning of Intercountry Adoption in Ethiopia and Its Assessment ............................ 35 3.1. Major causes of Orphan-hood and Vulnerability in Ethiopia .......................................................... 35 3.2. Legal and Institutional Framework for ICA in Ethiopia .................................................................... 37 3.3. Why the Ban on Intercountry Adoption .......................................................................................... 41 3.4. The Scope of the Ban ....................................................................................................................... 45 3.5. Gaps in the Legal and Institutional Framework of ICA in Ethiopia .................................................. 46 3.6. Issues on the preparation of the National Children’s Policy ............................................................ 49 3.7. Issues on Amendment of the Revised Family Code ......................................................................... 50 3.8. Initiatives to promote Domestic Alternatives .................................................................................. 53 3.9. Gaps in Initiations of Domestic Alternatives .................................................................................... 54 3.10. Points of Concern ........................................................................................................................... 56 3.11. Implications of the Ban on the Right to Alternative Care .............................................................. 59 Chapter Four: Conclusion and Recommendations ..................................................................................... 61 4.1. Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................ 61 4.2. Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 63 Bibliography ................................................................................................................................................ 65 Annexes ....................................................................................................................................................... 73 i Acronyms ACPF African Child Policy Forum ACRWC African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of Children AAI Adoption Advocates International ANPPCAN Association for National Planned Program for Vulnerable children and in need UNCRC UN Convention on the Rights of the Child DA Domestic Adoption EPRDF Ethiopian people‟s Revolutionary Democratic Front EU European Union FDRE Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia GDP Gross Domestic Product HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome HPR House of People‟s Representatives ICA Intercountry Adoption ICCPR International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights IDC Italian Development Cooperation MoLSA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs MoWCYA
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