Which instrument governs intercountry adoption?

• A. Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption
• B. Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption
• C. United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
• D. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Answer: (B)

Intercountry adoption is guided by a dedicated international treaty that creates safeguards and cooperation between countries to protect children. The instrument that governs this process is the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. It sets up a framework to ensure that adoptions across borders are in the child’s best interests, requires the involvement of designated central authorities in each country, and establishes procedures to prevent abduction, trafficking, or improper arrangements. It also outlines consent requirements, checks on prospective adoptive parents, and post-adoption responsibilities, making sure countries work together to verify and monitor the process.

The other instruments are broader or unrelated to this specific regulatory framework. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child addresses children’s rights in general but does not provide the detailed intercountry adoption procedures. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities focuses on disability rights. Sometimes the Hague Convention is referred to by a shorter form, but the formal title is the long name above, which is the instrument that directly governs intercountry adoption.