BRITONS BARRED FROM ADOPTING CHILDREN IN SINGAPORE?

SINGAPORE – Singapore has barred British nationals from adopting children here, local newspaper The Sunday Times reported.

The report said this was believed to be the first time citizens from any particular country were not allowed to adopt in Singapore.

The move is in response to Britain’s decision in January to drop Singapore from a list of countries where it recognises adoptions automatically.

A British High Commission spokesman told the newspaper that Singapore was removed from the list as it had not signed the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption.

The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption is an international treaty designed to protect the adopted child’s best interests.

Among others, member countries should draw up safeguards to prevent the abduction, sale or trafficking in children for adoption.

So far, more than 90 countries have signed the convention.
They range from developing countries such as Burkina Faso, India and the Philippines to developed countries such as Australia, Britain and the United States.
Singapore has not signed the convention.
A Social and Family Development Ministry spokesman told The Sunday Times that it is “currently studying the obligations of acceding” to the convention.

source: Bernama.