‘Adoption Must be Consulted with Child Organizations, not with Religious Affairs’

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Of the founders of the Association of Foster Family, Adoption (KOREV), child rights expert lawyer Türkay Asma said that lifting the age limit of 40 for adoption is going to be the right thing to do, yet added that it must be consulted with the representatives of NGO and child organizations, not the Directorate of Religious Affairs.

Minister of Family and Social Sciences Fatma Betül Sayan Kaya had said that the age limit would be lifted.

Stating that they started to work on a new regulation, Sayan Kaya said, “From now on, we are lifting the strict age limit of 40. People above 40 will be able to adopt through a finical examination”.

Age limit

Underlining that they have been telling there shouldn’t have been such a limit, Asma said that there is no such an upper limit in law.

“We’d explained before: the state already entrusts a task with its institution. Social service expert prepares a report and a decision is made based on it. If you apply such an age limit, this report becomes meaningless.

“Many families who can provide the child a very good education couldn’t adopt due to this limit. Lifting this limit will prevent illegal child trafficking”.

“It must be consulted with NGOs, not Religious Affairs”

Minister Sayan Kaya had stated that they discussed the subject with the Directorate of Religious Affairs, and said that “According to the Islamic religious law, there is no problem with the adoption. It is totally permissible”.

Lawyer Asma noted that the opinions must be received from the NGOs working in this field.

“I list my criticism in favor of the children. The age limit has prevented many eligible families from adopting.

“However, this is not the business of the [Directorate of] Religious Affairs. The issue is with this child’s welfare level. Therefore, if a consultancy is needed, then the address is the NGOs and child rights representatives”. (YY/TK)