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 Diplomat Training News

Strengthening Diplomacy: GHRP Training Course Enhances Engagement with UN Human Rights

5 February 2025

The GHRP’s annual training equipped 19 diplomats with key insights into the UN Human Rights Council’s mechanisms and multilateral processes.

Read more

web of information News

New Research Brief Examines the Relationship Between Digital Technologies and Their Misuse in Surveillance, Cyberattacks, and Disinformation Campaigns

21 February 2025

Our new research brief examines the complex relationship between digital technologies and their misuse in surveillance, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns.

Read more

Asian workers working at technology production factory with industrial machines Training

Business and Human Rights

19-23 May 2025

This training course will examine how the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights have been utilized to advance the concept of business respect for human rights throughout the UN system, the impact of the Guiding Principles on other international organizations, as well as the impact of standards and guidance developed by these different bodies.

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

Project

Follow-up Review Pilot Series

Started in November 2021

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