The Netherlands has announced a ban on its citizens adopting children from foreign countries, reported Reuters. Minister for Legal Protection Franc Weerwind confirmed the decision on Tuesday, stating that ongoing intercountry adoption procedures would continue temporarily.
Over the past fifty years, Dutch parents have adopted approximately 40,000 children from 80 different countries. However, recent years have seen a decline in this practice, with only 145 adoptions in 2019 and a further drop to 70 in 2020, attributed in part to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to data from the independent Dutch Youth Institute think tank.
This move follows a nearly two-year freeze on intercountry adoptions implemented by the Dutch government between February 2021 and November 2022. The decision comes amidst growing scrutiny of Dutch adoption policies, fueled by an increasing number of adults who were adopted as children seeking to trace their roots. Many have discovered discrepancies in their birth documents or the legality of their adoption, prompting concerns over the transparency and ethics of intercountry adoption practices.
