A. SELECTION CRITERIA

This chapter discusses how cases are investigated, meaning the process by which kinship may or may not be determined between an adoptee and their biological family. The topics focused on are the criteria employed to decide whether an inquiry should be investigated, the types of investigatory tools employed, and establishment of contact with the people involved.

Genetic tracing, the use of DNA to establish kinship, is one of the investigatory tools used. Investigating cases is very time-consuming and labor-intensive and requires meticulous recordkeeping, patience, diligence, excellent interpersonal skills, and frequent communications with the anxious searching party.

A. SELECTION CRITERIA

Before engaging in the reunification project, Pro-Búsqueda established criteria to determine which inquiries are investigated and which are not. These criteria are based on the organization’ s mission and goals and are available to the public.

The purpose of having criteria is for Pro-Búsqueda to focus its efforts on the inquiries that will further the organization’ s objectives. By disclosing the criteria, the organization ensures transparency in case selection and prevents any bias, discrimination, or preferential treatment. In addition, since investigations concerning disappearances are very personal, the organization protects itself from generating resentment and antipathy in the community by clearly stating the selection criteria upfront. If individuals interested in opening a case understand the rules beforehand, they are less likely to feel hostile toward the organization if their inquiry is rejected.

Pro-Búsqueda only investigates cases that fit three criteria:

These criteria were decided upon because, together, they best target adoptions affected by the armed conflict while excluding situations that resulted from voluntary choices. Initially, given the large volume of requests that Pro-Búsqueda received to investigate adoption cases, the organization had to reject some cases that fell outside of this criteria. However, due to the same demand for those cases in later years, ProBúsqueda began accepting cases in which children were given up for adoption due to extreme economic distress exacerbated by the armed conflict. Additionally, this experience demonstrated that among these cases, some were directly related to the conflict and fit the criteria.

These criteria—time frame, age range, and outcome of an occurrence—are but a few examples of criteria that could be used by diverse human rights and other organizations to select the cases they will investigate concerning missing persons and other victims of human rights abuses. The important thing is to establish clear and specific criteria to select cases and to make the information available to the public.

The disappearance occurred during the armed conflict of 1979-1991. At the time of the disappearance the child was aged 13 years or younger. The disappearance is a consequence of the armed conflict (abduction, relinquishment under duress, etc.).