Norway Tightens Adoption Controls Amid Ethics Investigation

Norway has increased oversight on international adoptions while it investigates past practices' legality and ethics. Despite Bufdir's recommendation to pause adoptions, the government has chosen to continue, aiming to identify any illegal or unethical actions by late 2025. Measures include document reviews and terminated agreements with several countries.

Norway has increased its oversight on international adoptions but will allow the practice to continue amid an investigation into the legality and ethics of past actions, the government announced on Wednesday.

This decision contradicts the recommendation of Norway's top regulatory body, the Norwegian Child Welfare Services (Bufdir), which had suggested pausing adoptions during the probe.

'As the situation is now, I do not see the need for a general interim suspension while the investigation committee works,' stated Norway's Minister for Children and Families, Kjersti Toppe.

The investigation aims to determine whether illegal or unethical practices have occurred in adoptions to Norway. Set up in December, the independent committee will conclude its findings by late 2025.

The investigation followed media reports alleging that some children from the Philippines were sold and provided with falsified birth certificates.

To mitigate risks, the government has implemented measures like reviewing all documents transferred from adoption organizations to Bufdir. Agreements with several countries, including Taiwan, Thailand, and the Philippines, have been terminated, leaving only Colombia and Bulgaria as active partners.

Denmark and Sweden, Norway's neighbors, have also taken steps to address similar concerns, with both countries' agencies suspending overseas adoptions due to issues with falsified documents.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)