Sweden Calls for Halt to International Adoptions Following Abuse Investigation
STOCKHOLM (AP) — In a significant move, a Swedish commission recommended on Monday the suspension of international adoptions, citing serious abuses and fraud uncovered in a recent investigation. This decision places Sweden alongside a growing number of countries scrutinizing their international adoption practices, particularly in relation to South Korea.
Established in 2021 after alarming reports from the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, the commission has highlighted systemic irregularities in Sweden’s international adoption framework. Anna Singer, the commission chair and a legal expert, stated, "The investigation scrutinized all parties involved in international adoptions, confirming instances of irregularities."
The commission’s findings indicated confirmed cases of child trafficking spanning every decade from the 1970s to the 2000s, with children adopted from various countries including Sri Lanka, Colombia, Poland, and China. Among the recommendations is a formal apology from the Swedish government to adoptees and their families, which Singer believes is crucial for acknowledging the abuses.
The investigation aligns with insights from an Associated Press report, based on a collaborative examination by Frontline (PBS), revealing troubling practices in South Korea’s foreign adoption program. With a history of 200,000 children sent to Western nations—predominantly the U.S.—the program has been built on distressing foundations, often involving fabricated identities and distressingly unethical practices.
Countries like the Netherlands and Denmark have already taken steps to halt international adoptions, while Switzerland has issued apologies for its previous failings. As scrutiny of the international adoption industry intensifies, Sweden’s recommendations may reflect a paradigm shift in how such adoptions are viewed and managed globally.
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