A Swedish commission on Monday called for an end to international adoptions after uncovering widespread abuse and fraud spanning several decades.
“There have been confirmed cases of child trafficking in every decade from the 1970s to the 2000s, primarily in the context of private adoptions,” Anna Singer said as she handed her report to Social Services Minister Camilla Waltersson Gronvall, who said her department would review it.
The investigation found that some children brought to Sweden were adopted without parental consent, falsely declared dead, or handed over by individuals who were not their legal guardians.
“In some cases, they have also been given up by parents who did not understand the implications of consenting to international adoption,” Singer said.
Swedish government knew of adoption irregularities
The probe was launched in 2021 following a report by the Swedish newspaper Dagens Nyheter, which exposed serious issues within the country’s international adoption system.
“The conclusion is that there have been irregularities in the international adoptions to Sweden,” Singer said, adding that the government had been aware of these issues “very early on.”
Investigators uncovered “significant and systemic gaps” in Sweden’s documentation of international adoptions, including false information about children’s birth dates, parentage, and adoption circumstances.
The report also noted that Swedish regulations prioritized facilitating adoptions from abroad, with most handled by private organizations incentivized to place as many children as possible.
Parents and adoptees owed an apology
Cases of trafficking were reported from the 1970s through the 2000s, involving countries including Sri Lanka, Colombia, Poland, and China.
The commission urged the government to issue a formal apology to adoptees and their families.
Singer emphasized the need to raise awareness about the violations, noting a tendency to downplay their existence and significance.
“The state needs to recognize the human rights violations that have occurred,” she said.
International adoptions in Sweden have plummeted—from over 900 in 1985 to just 14 so far in 2025, according to Adoptionscentrum.
Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher
