Adoption in Nauru

Narawa, Unaisi

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-95077-8_3

Unaisi Narawa⁵

Part of the book series: The World of Small States ((WSS,volume 5))

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Abstract

As elsewhere in the Pacific, adoption in Nauru reflects the pluralism of its legal system and also its colonial past. While some amendments to the formal law have been made, there are still gaps and inconsistencies that need to be addressed and while the welfare of the child is a central concern in both formal and customary adoption, resource constraints mean that de facto practice cannot always meet the guiding principles of national and international law.

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Notes

1.
Farran (2009).
2.
Powles (1997).
3.
The adoption of Nauruan children by non-Nauruans.
4.
Nauru Bureau of Statistics (2015).
5.
Foster and Kiste (2017).
6.
Ibid.
7.
Wedgwood (1936a), p. 372.
8.
Aiwo, Anabar, Anetan, Anibare, Baiti, Boe, Buada, Denigomodu, Ewa, Ijuw, Meneng, Nibok, Uaboe, Yaren.
9.
Eamwit, Eamwitmwit, Ranibok, Irutsi, Iruwa, Eamwidara, Eaoru, Emangum, Deiboe, Eano, Emea, Iwi.
10.
Le Roy (2006), p. 3.
11.
Mehra (1991).
12.
Le Roy (2006), p. 2.
13.
Mehra (1991).
14.
Ibid.
15.
Ibid.
16.
Le Roy (2006).
17.
McDowell (1986).
18.
Ibid.
19.
The Economist (2001).
20.
In 2001 there was a rise in the number of boat arrivals to Australia so the Howard Government introduced a policy whereby asylum seekers on board unauthorised—or irregular maritime arrival (IMA)—vessels were intercepted and transferred to offshore processing centres on Nauru and Manus Island in Papua New Guinea.
21.
Later replaced by a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 11 December 2001.
22.
Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2002), p. 61.
23.
Senate Committee, Parliament of Australia, Select Committee for an inquiry into a certain maritime incident (2002), p. 297.
24.
Republic of Nauru (2017).
25.
Ibid. The awaited birth of Eidagaruwo was celebrated and now remembered as Angam Day on the 26 October 1932.
26.
Tanaka (2008), p. 18.
27.
Ibid.
28.
Nauru Bureau of Statistics (2015).
29.
Ibid.
30.
Ibid.
31.
Ibid.
32.
Constitution of Nauru, s 16(1).
33.
Ibid., s 17.
34.
Ibid., s 28; Electoral Act 2016, s 34.
35.
Constitution of Nauru, s 41(7).
36.
Established under the Nauru Lands Committee Act 1956.
37.
Corrin and Paterson (2017), p. 391.
38.
Agreement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Nauru relating to Appeals to the High Court of Australia from the Supreme Court of Nauru, Australia-Nauru, opened for signature 6 September 1976, 1216 UNTS 151 (entered into force 21 March 1977).
39.
Ibid., art 2.
40.
United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner, Ratification Status for Nauru http://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/TreatyBodyExternal/Treaty.aspx?CountryID=121&Lang=EN. Accessed 8 May 2018.
41.
Ibid.
42.
Article 42 states ‘The best interests of the child must always be a top priority and children have the right to care and protection if they are adopted or in foster care. The same rules should apply whether they are adopted in the country where they were born, or if they are adopted to another country.’
43.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Millhouse CJ, 15 December 2006) available via www.paclii.org at [2006] NRSC 8.
44.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 9 September 2013) available via www.paclii.org at [2013] NRSC 11.
45.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Millhouse CJ, 15 December 2006) available via www.paclii.org at [2006] NRSC 8.
46.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 9 September 2013) available via www.paclii.org at [2013] NRSC 11.
47.
See for example, the chapter on Samoa in this collection.
48.
May 17th 1968 which is now celebrated annually as Nauru Constitution Day.
49.
Constitution of Nauru, ss 3–15.
50.
Adoption of Children Act 1965, ss 5–7.
51.
Ibid., s 8.
52.
Olson (2017). Interviewed on 26 July 2017.
53.
Adoption of Children Act 1965, ss 7–8.
54.
Olson (2017). Interviewed on 26 July 2017.
55.
Family Court Act 1974, s 4.
56.
Adoption of Children (Amendment) Act 2015.
57.
Foreign applicants could only adopt foreign children.
58.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Millhouse CJ, 15 December 2006) available via www.paclii.org at [2006] NRSC 8.
59.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 9 September 2013) available via www.paclii.org at [2013] NRSC 11.
60.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Millhouse CJ, 15 December 2006) available via www.paclii.org at [2006] NRSC 8.
61.
Constitution of Nauru, s 3.
62.
Adoption of Children Act 1965, s 9(2) (now repealed).
63.
Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (2008) Pacific Human Rights Law Digest Volume 2. http://www.paclii.org/other/PHRLD/pacific-human-rights-law-digest-2.html. Accessed 8 May 2018.
64.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 9 September 2013) available via www.paclii.org at [2013] NRSC 11.
65.
Ibid.
66.
Also significant is that the Family Court made an order under section 9 of the Guardianship of Children Act 1975 declaring the Nauruan couple to be the guardians of the child until the age of 18 or upon earlier marriage. At the time of the appeal to the Supreme Court the guardianship order was still in place.
67.
Re Adoption of BR (Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 9 September 2013) available via www.paclii.org at [2013] NRSC 11.
68.
To date the only amendments have been to the Adoption of Children Act and the Criminal Code 1899 which was repealed by the Crimes Act 2016.
69.
Adoption of Children (Amendment) Bill 2016, Second Reading Speech, 24th March 2015.
70.
Adoption of Children Act 1965, ss 10(5), (7), 12, 19.
71.
Ibid., s 10(5)(a).
72.
Ibid., s 10(7).
73.
Ibid., s 12(1).
74.
Ibid., s 12(2)–(3).
75.
Ibid., s 12(4).
76.
Ibid., s 17.
77.
Ibid., s 17(3).
78.
Ibid., s 17.
79.
Ibid., s 17(6).
80.
Ibid., s 16.
81.
Ibid., s 22.
82.
Ibid., s 22(3).
83.
Ibid., s 23(2).
84.
Ibid., s 17(8).
85.
Ibid., s 21(5)(a).
86.
Republic of Nauru and United Nations Children’s Fund (2015), p. 26.
87.
Wedgwood (1936a).
88.
Ibid.
89.
Wedgwood (1936b), p. 23.
90.
Republic of Nauru and United Nations Children’s Fund (2015).
91.
Ibid.
92.
Abawo Diringa, Vice Chairman of the Nauru Lands Committee, had made submissions to the court in Addi v Nauru Lands Committee (Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Crulci J, 6 February 2017) available via www.paclii.org at [2017] NRSC 1.
93.
Case studies (2017) Interviewed July 2017.
94.
This often results in issues of succession to land as discussed in the case of Addi v Nauru Lands Committee [2017] NRSC 1.
95.
Case studies (2017) Interviewed July 2017.
96.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 13 July 2011) available via www.paclii.org at [2011] NRSC 10.
97.
Ibid.
98.
Ibid.
99.
Now repealed but relevant for the purpose of the discussion.
100.
Nauruan Community Ordinance 1956–1962, s 4; now repealed but has continued application by virtue of the Interpretation Act 2011.
101.
Aremwa v Nauru Lands Committee (Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Thompson CJ, 11 June 1970) available via www.paclii.org at [1970] NRSC 3.
102.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Thompson CJ, 25 February 1976) available via www.paclii.org at [1976] NRSC 2.
103.
Rongorongo v Secretary of the Nauru Local Government Council (Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Thompson CJ, 25 February 1976) available via www.paclii.org at [1976] NRSC 2.
104.
Customs and Adopted Laws Act 1971, s 3(1).
105.
Ibid., s 3(1)(a)–(c).
106.
Ibid., s 3(2)(a)–(b).
107.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Crulci J, 6 February 2017) available via www.paclii.org at [2017] NRSC 1.
108.
Farran (2009).
109.
Wedgwood (1936b).
110.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 26 November 2012) available via www.paclii.org at [2012] NRSC 17.
111.
Johnathan and Cecilia Demaunga were the biological parents of Melson Demaunga. Gad Demaunga was the brother of Johnathan and Villa and was trustee of Melson. Christina Dongobir was the biological child of Villa but claimed that she was adopted in custom by Johnathan and Cecilia Demaunga and thus claimed a share in the estate of the now deceased Cecilia.
112.
Advice from the former principal legal office of the Department of Justice and Border Control as quoted in Demaunga v Nauru Lands Committee (Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 26 November 2012) available via www.paclii.org at [2012] NRSC 17.
113.
Then Secretary for Justice and Border Control advised the Committee that it was in fact section 3(1)(c) of the Custom and Adopted Laws Act that applied and that Parliament had at that point not passed any law that expressly or by necessary implication abolished, altered or limited cultural practice as quoted in Demaunga v Nauru Lands Committee (Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 26 November 2012) available via www.paclii.org at [2012] NRSC 17.
114.
Demaunga v Nauru Lands Committee (Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 26 November 2012) available via www.paclii.org at [2012] NRSC 17.
115.
Farran (2009).
116.
In most cases related to a Nauruan through marriage.
117.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 9 September 2013) available via www.paclii.org at [2013] NRSC 11.
118.
Republic of Nauru and United Nations Children’s Fund (2015), p. 31.
119.
Legal Officer (2017) Department of Home Affairs, Government of Nauru.
120.
Ibid.
121.
Formally established by law in 2016 with an amendment to the Criminal Procedure Act 1972, s 50(A).
122.
Checklist for Adoption Application, Office of the Public Legal Defender, Nauru, (held in copy).
123.
Interview with the Office of the Public Legal Defender, Nauru (20/07/17).
124.
Ibid.
125.
At the time of writing the application was still pending in the system.
126.
Interview with the Office of the Public Legal Defender, Nauru (20/07/17).
127.
Olson (2017). Interviewed on 26 July 2017.
128.
Ibid.
129.
Ibid.
130.
Magistrate and Chairman of the Family Court (2017), District Court, Nauru. Interviewed 1 August 2017.
131.
Ibid.
132.
Ibid.
133.
Ibid.
134.
Ibid.
135.
Case Study (2017) Interviewed 1 August 2017.
136.
Registrar for Births, Deaths and Marriages (2017) Interviewed 19th July 2017.
137.
Used only as an example.
138.
Paternity leave for male employees under section 64 and adoption leave under section 67 for female employees.
139.
Republic of Nauru and United Nations Children’s Fund (2015).
140.
Republic of Nauru and United Nations Children’s Fund (2015).
141.
Olson (2017). Interviewed on 26 July 2017.
142.
Ibid.
143.
Farran (2011).
144.
(Unreported, Supreme Court, Nauru, Eames CJ, 9 September 2013) available via www.paclii.org at [2013] NRSC 11.
145.
Ibid.
146.
Ibid.
147.
Magistrate and Chairman of the Family Court (2017), District Court, Nauru. Interviewed 1 August 2017.
148.
Farran (2009).

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Parliament of Nauru, Yaren, Nauru
Unaisi Narawa

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Centre for Public, International and Comparative Law, TC Beirne School of Law, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
Jennifer Corrin
Northumbria Law School, University of Northumbria at Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Sue Farran

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Narawa, U. (2019). Adoption in Nauru. In: Corrin, J., Farran, S. (eds) The Plural Practice of Adoption in Pacific Island States. The World of Small States, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95077-8_3

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95077-8_3
Published: 11 December 2018
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