International child abductions are often traumatic and legally-complex events. According to the State Department, the nation experienced 702 cases of children removed from the United States and retained in a foreign country. While these abductions are not often discussed in the mainstream media, a new Boston-based non-profit is looking to raise awareness of international parental takings of children.
The International Child Abduction Awareness Foundation helps parents whose children have been taken gain access to state and federal resources. The Foundation also works on prevention of the events to reduce the risk of a child being transferred to another country without consent of the parents.
The Foundation also has a Harvard connection. The Law School’s Transactional Law Clinic helped get the Foundation its 501(c)(3) status as a tax-exempt non-profit.
As an inaugural event, the Foundation will host a panel and networking reception on Sunday, September 7th at Cambridge’s Democracy Center (near Daedulus) on Mt. Auburn Street. The group aims to encourage people who would are not directly affected by the issue to be part of the coalition of prevention.
At the event, leaders from the State Department, non-profits, and academia will offer different perspectives of international parental takings. Several parents, mediators, and community action leaders will also be joining for the event and networking reception.
Students can expect to get a better understanding of the issue of international child abductions, their prevention, and the process for recovery. There will ample networking opportunities with government and local leaders, especially as the Foundation has partnered with the United Nations Association of Greater Boston for the event.
If you go – RSVP on the Foundation’s Eventbrite page. Details: Sunday, September 7th Networking Reception at 3PM at Daedulus and Panel from 4:30-6:30 PM at the Democracy Center, located at 45 Mt. Auburn Str., Cambridge. For questions about the event or to learn more about the organization, contact Prevent[at]ICAAF.org.