Adoption Convention enters into force for Saint Kitts and Nevis

Today, 1 February 2021, the HCCH Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Adoption Convention) entered into force for Saint Kitts and Nevis, following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 26 October 2020. The Adoption Convention has 103 Contracting Parties. More information on this Convention is available on the Adoption...

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Vice President of the Republic of Ecuador visits the Permanent Bureau

Today, 12 November 2020, Secretary General Dr Christophe Bernasconi had the honour of welcoming H.E. Ms María Alejandra Muñoz Seminario, Vice President of the Republic of Ecuador, to the Permanent Bureau to celebrate the official release of the Handbook on National and Intercountry Adoption Management Procedures (Manual de procesos de gestion de las adopciones nacionales e...

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Saint Kitts and Nevis accedes to the Adoption Convention

The Permanent Bureau has been informed that on 26 October 2020, Saint Kitts and Nevis deposited its instrument of accession to the HCCH Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (Adoption Convention). With the accession of Saint Kitts and Nevis, the Adoption Convention now has 103 Contracting Parties. It will enter into force for...

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Meeting of the Working Group on Preventing and Addressing Illicit Practices in Intercountry Adoption

From 8 to 10 July 2020, the Working Group on Preventing and Addressing Illicit Practices in Intercountry Adoption met via videoconference. The meeting was attended by 58 participants, representing 24 States, including both States of origin and receiving States, and four international organisations, as well as members of the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH.  The mandate of the Group is to...

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Adoption Convention enters into force for the Republic of the Congo

On 1 April 2020, the Convention of 29 May 1993 on the Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (hereinafter the “Adoption Convention”) entered into force for the Republic of the Congo, following the deposit of its instrument of accession on 11 December 2019. The Adoption Convention currently has 102 Contracting Parties.  The...

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Congo: A new Contracting Party to the Adoption Convention and a 154th connected State to the HCCH!

The Permanent Bureau has been informed that on 11 December 2019, the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention of 29 May 1993 on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (“Adoption Convention”). The Adoption Convention, which now has 102 Contracting Parties, will enter into force for the...

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30th Anniversary of the UNCRC

Today, 20 November 2019, marks the 30th Anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC).  Recognising the importance of this milestone in the development of children’s rights, the HCCH also wishes to recall the role played by the following HCCH Children’s Conventions and Protocol in the day-to-day implementation of the UNCRC worldwide:  ...

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Meeting of the Working Group on Preventing and Addressing Illicit Practices in Intercountry Adoption

From 21 to 23 May 2019, the Working Group on Preventing and Addressing Illicit Practices in Intercountry Adoption met at the offices of the Permanent Bureau (PB) of the HCCH in The Hague. The meeting was attended by 31 experts and members of the PB. The experts represented 18 States, both from States of origin and receiving States, as well as three international organisations.  The mandate...

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