There is a strong push by organizations, UNICEF is one, to keep orphaned children in their birth countries. Some feel that raising a child in a different culture, an unavoidable consequence by definition of international adoption, strips identity and robs an individual of a precious attachment to language, religion, societal norms, and so on.

Unfortunately, too often a life confined by borders of a country of birth becomes more of a prison sentence than an opportunity to be embraced by the loving arms of cultural identity, as documented by UNICEF itself.

Nearly 2.2 million children in
Indonesia are child sex workers, child domestic workers, or children living or working on the streets – all means of earning money that heighten exposure to HIV.

In 2003, there were 87.6 million orphans due to all causes in Asia, compared to sub-Saharan Africa’s 43.4 million. These children are frequently sent to aging grandparents in rural areas, who are ill-equipped financially and sometimes physically and emotionally to take care of their grandchildren. Elderly grandparents will need material support–especially food. The fate of these children is also thrown into question when their elderly caregivers pass away. In some instances, children in the care of extended family members are subject to different forms of exploitation, further raising their vulnerability to HIV.

There are those who argue that life in a birth country orphanage is preferable to adoption by a family from a different part of the world. This, too, should be a difficult position to defend when realities are faced.

Orphanages and similar institutions have often, unfortunately, not provided consistency of care, especially for younger children. – UNICEF, Principles to Guide Programming for Orphans and other Children Affected by HIV/AIDS.

Because fear and shame often drive a wedge between people with HIV/AIDS and their extended families, and misguided concerns about infection make some people unwilling to adopt a the child of a parent with HIV/AIDS, many children affected by HIV/AIDS are becoming household heads and swelling the numbers of children in institutional care or living on the street.

With Cambodian adoptions particularly contentious, the idea in developed countries that the orphan situation there has been "market driven" is prevalent, as if families in developed countries are responsible for creation of orphans.

Given the destruction wrought by years of terrible conflict, recovery has been slow – Cambodia is still one of the poorest countries in Asia, with some 34 per cent of its people surviving on less than US$ 1 a day. Nearly half of all Cambodian children are malnourished, and one in eight dies before their fifth birthday, largely due to preventable causes. More than half of Cambodia’s 13 million people are under the age of 18,with an estimated 30,000 AIDS orphans below 15 years of age in Cambodia.

And here are some raw numbers on the situation in Cambodia:

% of infants with low birthweight (1998-2004*) 11

% of under-fives (1996-2004*) suffering from: underweight (moderate) 45

% of under-fives (1996-2004*) suffering from: underweight (severe) 13

% of under-fives (1996-2004*) suffering from: wasting (moderate & severe) 15

% of under-fives (1996-2004*) suffering from: stunting (moderate & severe) 45

Orphans, Children (0-17 years) orphaned due to all causes, 2003, estimate (in thousands) 670

So, to recap UNICEF's numbers:
43 million orphans in Sub-Saharan African in 2003.
In 2003, there were 87.6 million orphans due to all causes in Asia.
In Cambodia -- orphaned due to all causes, 2003, estimate 670,000.
Nearly 2.2 million children in Indonesia are child sex workers, child domestic workers, or children living or working on the streets.
Nearly half of all Cambodian children are malnourished, and one in eight dies before their fifth birthday.

Can anyone really think that a couple of hundred thousand parents wanting to add a child to their family have any great effect ... good or bad ... on the global count of children without families?

And "market driven"? If only! If only it could come to pass that want would pass need and that enough families would be opening homes and hearts so no child on Earth would claim the title orphan, but rather loved son or daughter.