International Adoptions

Hands of Mercy Orphanage, Ghana

The visa office in Accra, in consultation with other Canadian government departments, has suspended the processing of several international adoption cases in Ghana from the Hands of Mercy orphanage. This is further to the closure of the Hands of Mercy orphanage by Ghanaian authorities due to concerns over child trafficking.

All Canadian levels of government, provincial/territorial and federal, with responsibility for administering international adoptions, understand that Canadian adoptive parents are anxious and would like to have this situation resolved.

Our first priority is to ensure that the child’s rights are protected in accordance with Canada’s international obligations in adoption cases. If the legitimacy of an adoption is in question, the responsible Canadian authorities must take appropriate action.

All levels of government have been in constant communication to ensure both the best interests of children from this orphanage, and those of prospective adoptive parents, are being met.

Moratorium on International Adoptions from Liberia

The Government of Canada has concerns regarding the adoption process and the child protection framework in Liberia. The Government of Canada has shared its concerns with the Canadian competent adoption authorities and suggested that a moratorium be implemented in light of the best interests of the child standard set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child. These authorities have consequently implemented a moratorium on international adoptions from Liberia.

As of May 2008, the moratorium was effective across all Canada.