Zimbabwe+2

Zimbabwe International Adoption Jordy Z Per 3

Country Profile: (20 points, minus one point for each sub-point missing) A. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY 1. Zimbabwe 2. tropical; moderated by altitude; rainy season 3.

a. location: 20 00 S, 30 00 E;  //border countries:// Botswana 813 km, Mozambique 1,231 km, South Africa 225 km, Zambia 797 km)   b.  Zambezi forms natural riverine boundary with Zambia, Victoria Falls   c.  390,580 sq km   B.  POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY   4.  parliamentary democracy; ANP, MDC, PAFA, United Parties, etc.   5.  Harare   6.  AFC, AFDB, AU, COMESA, FAO, ICRM, IAEA, IBRD, etc.   7.  male: 144,601 female:147,627   C.  CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY   8.  official language: English; other languages: Shona, Sindebele, tribal dialects; ethnic composition: 98% African, 1% Asian, less than 1% White; major religions: syncretic 50%, Christian 25%, Muslim and other 1%   9.  population: 11,350,111; population growth rate: -0.787%   10.  major cities: Harare, Bulawayo, Chitungwiza   11.  infant mortality rate: 33.86 deaths/1000 live births; average life expectancy:44.28yrs   **12.**  teachers and doctors per population: unknown D. ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY 13. GNP or GDP (total and per capita) **14.** % of land that is arable used for agriculture 15. natural resources: coal, chromium ore, asbestos, gold, nickel, copper, iron ore, vanadium, lithium, tin, platinum group metals. 16. major agricultural and industrial products: corn, cotton, tobacco, wheat, coffee, sugarcane, peanuts, sheep, goats, pigs, mining, steel, wood products, cement, chemicals, fertilizer, clothing, foodstuffs, beverages. 17. major exports and imports: platinum, cotton, tobacco, gold, textiles, ferroalloys; machinery and transport equipment, chemicals, fuels, other manufactures 18. currency: Zimbabwean dollars(ZWD)- per US dollar:30,000 19. balance of trade (include amounts in US current of total exports and imports) **20.** historical events (time line format only since 1980) * https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/zi.html, http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108169.html II. Background: International adoption is the act of adopting an orphan from a country in which the adoptive parents are not legalized citizens in. It began during World War II when many orphans suffered from famine and refugee migrations resulting from horrible effects of war. Also, during the Vietnam War over 2,000 children were airlifted from Vietnam to America in order to find adoptive American parents. One country that leads in International adoptions is China due to their One-Child Policy which enforces that every couple to have only one child. Sadly, this caused for a lot of children to be placed into adoption because the families must give up their ‘extra’ children. International adoption appears to be more favorable due to the fact that there is less of a competition for a child. There also can be cases of Child trafficking within International adoption so there must be a safeguard enforced. In the past eight years, a U.S. citizen has adopted one Zimbabwean child. III. UN Involvement: There have been many conventions regarding the topics of the Rights of a Child, which have been trying to ensure safety to children in many countries. However, International Adoption has not been a major issue for the United Nations. UNICEF is also concerned for children’s rights, but they tend to focus on children involved in armed conflict. IV. Country Policy/Possible Solutions: International adoption in Zimbabwe is rare. Many children need to meet a few requirements before they can be adopted. In order to bring an Adopted child from Zimbabwe into another country, such as the U.S., the adoptive parents must follow the requirements for their country, and also the requirements for Zimbabwe. If adoption is necessary to the safety of our children, then it becomes a more instigated option. Since there is not much commotion as of now on the adopting of Zimbabwean children, we are open to any solutions that other countries may have. http://adoption.state.gov/country/zimbabwe.html http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,LEGAL,,,ZWE,456d621e2,,10.html http://www.un.org/children/conflict/keydocuments/english/theconventionont6.html