The Geneva Human Rights Platform Accompanied the Adoption of a UN Statement on Illegal Intercountry Adoptions

4 October 2022

On 29 September 2022, two United Nations (UN) treaty bodies – the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the UN Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED), –, three UN Special Rapporteurs – on the Promotion of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Guarantees of Non-Recurrence, on the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children and on Trafficking in Persons – and the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances have issued a Joint Statement on illegal intercountry adoptions.

In order to facilitate this joint process of adoption, the Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP) in collaboration with the CRC and CED, organized two joint meetings in March and September 2022 as part of the GHRP Treaty Body Members Platform initiative.

‘We congratulate all the mechanisms involved in the drafting of this important new document, which promotes a human rights-based and gender-sensitive approach to preventing and eradicating illegal intercountry adoptions’ underlines Felix Kirchmeier, Executive Director of the Geneva Human Rights Platform.

‘The Joint Statement does so by identifying the rights which are violated through illegal intercountry adoptions and by clarifying states’ obligations under international human rights law. It represents an excellent example of cooperation between UN treaty bodies and among UN human rights mechanisms, illustrating the cross-committee and systemic approach recently promoted within the 2020 Treaty Body Review process at the UN General Assembly’ he adds.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

GHRP Annual Conference 2024 News

GHRP Annual Conference 2024 Strengthens Connectivity in a Pressured Human Rights System

25 November 2024

The 2024 Annual Conference of the Geneva Human Rights Platform (GHRP), held on 5 November at Maison de la Paix, focused on the theme Human Rights System Under Pressure: A Reason to Expand Connectivity.

Read more

A GHRP training course News

Training Opportunities 2025: Engage with UN Human Rights Mechanisms

28 January 2025

The Geneva Human Rights Platform is launching its 2025 training programme, designed to empower stakeholders engaging with UN human rights system.

Read more

A general view of participants during of the 33nd ordinary session of the Human Rights Council. Training

The Universal Periodic Review and the UN Human Rights System: Raising the Bar on Accountability

10-14 November 2025

This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

Online folders Project

Digital Human Rights Tracking Tools and Databases

Started in March 2023

This initiative wishes to contribute to better and more coordinated implementation, reporting and follow-up of international human rights recommendations through a global study on digital human rights tracking tools and databases.

Read more

A destroyed camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Khor Abeche, South Darfur, Project

Understanding the Relationship between Conflict, Security and the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

Started in May 2023

This project will develop guidance to inform security, human rights and environmental debates on the linkages between environmental rights and conflict, and how their better management can serve as a tool in conflict prevention, resilience and early warning.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more