Orphanages

In China, the orphanage situation is inadequate. As many as 90 percent of the children admitted to some
institutions die there. Some Chinese officials have denounced these accusations as "lies" and "malicious
fraud" motivated by personal hatred. Other Chinese officials admit that there are many deaths in state
orphanages, but blame them on cold weather, lack of electricity, and shortage of resources in a country
where 80 million people live in poverty. Poverty does not fully explain why Chinese orphans are given
sleeping pills instead of food, tied to cribs and chairs, left unchanged when soiled, denied medical care, and
allowed to die of neglect. Typical state run homes have become little more than "assembly lines" for the
elimination of unwanted babies.

The basic problem is not that China can't afford to support these children. With the Chinese economy
booming, living standards in the country are rising. The real problem is the Chinese government's attitude
toward the orphans. China's leaders consider these children "surplus" population. Government officials try
to prevent their birth by forced abortion, and they boast of the numbers of births averted by China's
coercive family planning program.

Adoption

Because of the number of abandoned children in China there is a great need for adoptive families. However
the Chinese government has put strict regulations in place as to who can adopt a child. The adoptive parents
must be over 35 years of age with no children of their own. There are a large number of Chinese children
adopted by couples overseas. The number of children in orphanages far exceeds the number of available
adoptive parents. Adoption helps the few lucky children who are placed in families, but it is only a partial
solution to this pressing problem.

China Home Page One-Child Policy Child Labor Education Diversity China's Child Organizations

References:

Aird, John S., (March/April 1996). China's War on Children. The American Enterprise, V.7 58-61

This page was created by Jessica Carroll, Kirsten Jo Eby, Daniel Gonzalez, and Matt Rigberg for a Tulane
University course, Children & Society. This course is taught by Professor April Brayfield. Our purpose is to
accurately describe the lives of children in China. Information on children in other countries is available at the
Childhood Around the World homepage.

Last updated: December 15, 1999