Protection of Orphans Act
A resolution to reduce income inequality and increase basic welfare.
Category: Social Justice
Strength: Mild
Proposed by: Iron Felix
Description: The General Assembly of the United Nations;
Recognizing that orphans and homeless children are some of the most vulnerable of all persons in any society and are often ignored or abused;
Recognizing that violence, drugs, war, famine, social chaos, disease and prejudice in many nations have resulted in an unprecedented number of children who are abandoned as orphans or who have become homeless;
Recognizing that the rights of orphans and homeless children are often ignored;
Deploring the terrible conditions that these children suffer in;
Alarmed that these children are exposed to the possibility of being raped, murdered or sold into prostitution and noting that some of these children are extremely young;
Finding this situation to be unacceptable, enacts the following:
1. Member nations are encouraged in the strongest possible terms to fund the construction and staffing of orphanages and shelters for homeless children as the situation in their nation merits.
2. Member nations are further strongly encouraged to establish appropriate child welfare agencies to oversee the well-being of these children and to manage the distribution of aid. Additionally, these agencies are strongly urged to share information to facilitate intranational and international adoptions.
3. The United Nations Child Placement Authority is hereby established to do the following:
(i) Compile a database of all known homeless or orphaned children currently residing in UN nations who are awaiting placement in adoptive homes. The governments of UN member nations shall submit bi-annually a report detailing the number of homeless or orphaned children living within their nation who are awaiting placement in adoptive homes, either within, or outside their nation. The report shall include the child's age, sex, name (if known), pertinent medical information as allowed by UN law and any other details considered relevent to the child's case.
(ii) Act as a clearinghouse for coordinating the efforts of accredited adoption agencies and child-advocacy groups in UN nations and to assist in the effort to place these children in permanent, stable homes.
4. Member nations are reminded that many homeless children, particularly runaways, may be reluctant to accept aid and assistance from government agencies or recognized charities due to fears that they will be forced into an unacceptable situation, e.g., returned to an abusive home. Therefore, it is suggested that aid and assistance be provided in a no-threat environment with assured confidentiality for all clients, but with the goal of eventually placing these children in an officially recognized shelter, orphanage or foster home, or if possible, returning them to their parents or an acceptable guardian.
