By Sylvia Akpan
Basic Rights Counsel Initiative (BRCI), a nonprofit organization based in Calabar,Cross River State, has held its first quarterly meeting to educate NGOs, key actors on international adoption as it relates to the law.
The co-founder of BRCI, Mrs. Ese Ibor, in her address commended other youth serving NGOs and participants for their presence. She briefed participants of Lawrence Igbudu’s rehabilitation/orphanage home and called for support for the organization.
She solicited for a general discussion on ‘International Adoption as it relates to the law’ and emphasized on the need to be interactive.
Mrs. Ibor said the essence of the meeting is to air out challenges and success stories for all to learn from.
Presenting on ‘International Adoption as it relates to the law’ by Victomera Ebiti, Esq. stressed that International Adoption/inter country/across border/transnational adoption is adopting a child in another country which must be followed according to the law regulating it.
She noted that the United Nations Convention on the rights of the child has made general provision on adoption.
Ebiti relied on section 148 of the Child’s Right Law which states that “No person shall permit or cause or procure the transfer of an adopted child outside the state or country except: there is an application to the court for a permit authorizing he/she to do so.”
Principal Counsel of BRCI, Barrister James Ibor, who tackled questions raised during the presentations, averred that section 45 of the Child’s Right Law 2023 makes use of mandatory reporting. He maintained that every detailed information of the adopted child should be documented and updated always.
The human rights lawyer warned NGOs not to give out adopted children to anyone who may come on the guise of fostering the child as some may have ulterior motives.
Williams Okoi Arikpo, Social Welfare Officer at the State Ministry of Social Welfare and Community Development, reminded the participants of the need to follow due process as passion and sympathy towards children in street situations is not enough.
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