A congressional committee in Peru unanimously approved a bill that would create an administrative process to speed up adoptions for vulnerable children, lawmaker Milagros Jáuregui de Aguayo said.
In a post on social media, Jáuregui said that “children cannot continue to be held back by bureaucratic delays,” referring to the lengthy legal proceedings faced by many children living in state care.
The proposal, Bill 14539/2025-CR, would amend Peru's Code of Children and Adolescents and Legislative Decree 1297. Under the measure, state authorities could determine whether children lack adequate family protection and are eligible for adoption through an administrative process rather than a lengthy court proceeding. The process would be overseen by the appropriate authority within Peru's Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations (MIMP).
According to Peru's Congress, the bill is intended to speed up adoption proceedings and provide a faster path to permanent family placement for children who remain under state protection.
Backers of the bill say it would reduce delays that currently leave thousands of children in residential care facilities while their legal status is being determined. They argue that existing procedures can take years to complete, delaying opportunities for children to be placed with adoptive families.
The proposal received initial legislative support in May when it was approved by Congress' Women and Family Commission. Lawmakers said the reform would shorten adoption timelines through administrative procedures while preserving existing legal safeguards and judicial review.
Representatives from several child welfare organizations participated in discussions on the bill, including the Ombudsman's Office of Peru, officials from the Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations, and organizations involved in foster care and adoption services. According to congressional records, many of those groups agreed that adoption procedures should be streamlined to reduce the time children spend in residential care facilities.
The bill will now advance through the legislative process in Peru's Congress. If approved, the measure would allow eligible children to be placed with adoptive families more quickly.
Originally published by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition.
