The Hague Convention
Yesterday the Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Maura Harty deposited the United States’ instrument of ratification of the Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption at a ceremony in The Hague. I imagine that this was a spectacular event for her and the rest of the people that have been working towards this moment for fourteen years.
I have a basic understanding of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption and the purpose it provides. What I am not sure of is all of the smaller ramifications of the Hague going into effect after April 2008. There is a great short audio story (just four minutes long)posted online the NPR website concerning the events of yesterday and the Hague Convention that addresses some of the many questions. The audio post is with Adam Pertman, the executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute and the author of Adoption Nation. If you have a moment, I would encourage you to listen to the NPR story.
