International adoptions – A global scandal | DW Documentary
In the last 60 years, over a million “orphans” have been adopted by Western families. Many of them are now discovering that their past is a lie. International adoptions are at the center of an unprecedented scandal.
This scandal is far-reaching. It involves children stolen from their mothers during the Pinochet dictatorship, as well as people described as Africa’s “fake orphans”. The film follows investigative journalists, activists and researchers in South Korea, Sweden, France, Chile, Germany and Switzerland. How was this huge, lucrative market able to flourish? And why does it still exist today?
Even today, women are manipulated, threatened or deceived into giving up their babies – often with the blessing of state authorities. The fraudulent practices persist despite the Hague Convention, which has governed international adoption since 1993. That is because the system is flawed and encourages corruption.
In many cases, these practices come to light mainly due to pressure from adopted children who have grown into adults. After discovering the dubious conditions of their adoptions, they begin to search for their birth parents and demand explanations. These searches are often easier to conduct these days, thanks to social media, the Internet and the availability of genealogy websites.
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Video “International adoptions – A global scandal | DW Documentary” was uploaded on 08/20/2025 by DW Documentary Youtube channel.