Families Across Borders | law, policy, news and views
Hague Family Maintenance Convention Sent to the Senate
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee has transmitted the 2007 Hague Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance to the Senate with its recommendation that the Senate give advice and consent to ratification, subject to several reservations and declarations that are permitted by the treaty. Details are included in [...]
Burqa, Niqab, Hijab: Debating the Veil
The debate in France over whether to restrict women from wearing traditional Muslim garments took a new turn this week with the introduction of a draft bill providing that “nobody, in places open to the public or on streets, may wear an outfit or an accessory whose effect is to hide the face”. There’s a [...]
More on Haiti
Here’s an interview on NPR with Thomas DiFilipo of the Joint Council on International Children’s Services, called “Where Will all the Haitian Orphans Go?” UPDATE: Another story, by Deborah Sontag in the New York Times (Jan. 27): “Haiti’s Children Adrift in World of Chaos.”
Hague Conference Statement on Adoption in Haiti
The Hague Conference on Private International Law has sent an Information Note on the Haiti earthquake to states and Central Authorities participating in the Hague Intercountry Adoption Convention. The Note emphasizes that “a humanitarian disaster such as the earthquake should not be the reason for bypassing essential safeguards for safe adoption.” Moreover, “efforts to reunite a displaced [...]
Adoption in Haiti
In response to the recent earthquake in Haiti, the Department of Homeland Security and the State Department have implemented a special process to assist prospective adoptive parents with pending adoption cases in Haiti. The Humanitarian Parole policy is described in detail in this Fact Sheet issued by DHS. The policy applies only to children who [...]
Women’s Employment, Earnings, Childrearing and Marriage
a number of stories this week have considered women’s employment and earning patterns. Katrin Bennhold’s piece in the New York Timeson employed mothers, “In Germany, A Tradition Falls, and Women Rise,” is the first of a series in the Times and the International Herald Tribune examining “the female factor,” or “where women stand in the early 21st century.” [...]
Conferences
Scheduled for April 8-10 at the University of Cambridge: the 4th Conference of the Commission on European Family Law on The Future of Family Property in Europe. Information is here; early registration closes at the end of January. The conference is organized by Jo Miles and Jens Scherpe at Cambridge; speakers include Lord Justice Thorpe, [...]
Practical Advice on Travel with Children
In the New York Times “Practical Traveller” column, Michelle Higgins writes about taking children abroad: “Stroller, Diapers, Paperwork.” The story includes a link to the State Department’s web site with information on the Children’s Passport Issuance Alert Program.
Commentary on the Abbott Oral Arguments
Here’s a sample of media commentary on the oral arguments yesterday in Abbott v. Abbott: Mark Sherman (Associated Press): “Scalia (yes, Scalia) invokes foreign law in court.” Dahlia Lithwick (Slate.com): “All in the Family: The Supreme Court plays nice over international child custody.” Update (Jan. 16): here’s a post yesterday by Charles Kotuby at conflictoflaws.net: “Abbott v. Abbott Argument Round-Up.” [...]
Oral Argument in Abbott on January 12
A transcript of the oral argument in the U.S. Supreme Court in Abbott v. Abbott, held on January 12, is available on the Court’s web page later in the day. Here’s a link to the oral argument page; the docket number for the case is 08-645. Information about the case is also available from the Oyez Project, [...]
