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Swiss government wants to revise law on international adoptions

child sri lanka
Keystone / Anthony Anex

Thousands of children have been illegally adopted abroad by Swiss nationals. The excessive number of irregularities has prompted the Federal Council to seek a revision of international adoption law.

Following an initial study into the adoption of Sri Lankan children, on Friday the Federal Council received a second report on the adoption of children from Bangladesh, Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, India, Colombia, Korea, Lebanon, Peru and Romania.

The results show the existence of illegal practices in these countries, child trafficking, falsification of documents and false indications of origin. Several thousand children adopted between 1970 and 1990 could be affected by irregularities.

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The Federal Council wants to prevent such irregularities in future. By the end of 2024, a group of experts will present a more detailed assessment of the situation with a view to a revision of the law on international adoptions.

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