L’expérience vécue par les mères haïtiennes vivant à Port-au-Prince ayant donné leur enfant en adoption internationale
In recent years, international adoption has become increasingly important worldwide, especially in Haiti. Each year, hundreds of children leave Haiti after being adopted. Since the 1990s, the number of adoptions is increasing. Yet, the majority of these children are not orphans or abandoned: these are the original families who bring their children to nurseries (orphanages). Therefore, it is of paramount to have the views of families who have lived this experience to understand the reasons that lead them to make such an important choice.  The main objective of this research is to better understand the experience of Haitian mothers living in Port-au-Prince who have given their children for international adoption. More specifically, it is to understand the expectations and motivations of mothers facing the proposed adoption, the meaning they give to this project and how they lived this separation. To do this, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with mothers who gave their children up for adoption.  The results of this study allowed us to understand the reasons why mothers give their children for adoption are varied and complex (problems of health, housing, employment, father absence, etc.). For the latter, the adoption may be considered as child welfare, a way to save the child from poverty or as a rescue solution. Moreover, when entrusting their children for adoption, mothers signed documents, of which they do not seem to know the contents. In addition, the lack of information on the future of the child and the pressure of society inducing mothers to feel regret, sadness, shame, fears, etc. Mothers also develop strategies to force orphanages or the Institute of Welfare and Research (IBESR) to inform them about the progress of their children. Besides the return of the child, the majority of mothers have physical and economic expectations for the child, the heads of orphanages and adoptive families.
international adoption Haiti birth mothers