TEGUCIGALPA – The Consular Section jointly sponsored a conference series with the National Directorate of Children, Adolescence and Families (DINAF) and the National Office of Forensic Medicine titled “Adoptions, Children in Social Risk and Abductions” on September 18, 2015 and September 22, 2015. The conferences were attended by Family and Childhood Court judges from Tegucigalpa, San Pedro Sula, El Progreso, Puerto Cortes, and Choloma and addressed the judicial and administrative tools available to make the adoption process more transparent and to promote international and domestic adoption as a viable option, when it is in the best interest of the child.
In an effort to offer technical consultation to DINAF as Honduras considers becoming a party to the Hague Adoption Convention, the Consular Section hosted a visit from the Office of Children’s Issues from September 30 to October 3, 2015. The visit was highlighted by a joint townhall, which featured presentations by members of DINAF, adoption experts from the Office of Children’s Issues and consular staff, and which was attended by representatives of the adoption community, including agencies, attorneys and NGOs. The visit also included a joint training for Consular and DINAF staff, where the Office of Children’s Issues called on the experience gained from the U.S. transition to the Hague Adoption Convention and offered technical assistance in the handling of adoptions under the Hague Convention.
