After the United Nations, I CARE Founder Peter Thomas Senese To Speak Before The Hague

From the United Nations to the Hague Permanent Bureau - the I CARE Foundation continues to expand our educational outreach concerning international child kidnapping and trafficking. 

I am very excited to finalize my and the I CARE Foundation's travel plans to the Hague Center For International Justice, and visit with leaders of the Permanent Bureau at the International Peace Palace to discuss various issues, including the findings of various studies the I CARE Foundation has or is presently conducting concerning International Parental Child Abduction.

Our trip will take place this February - I know I speak for all members of the I CARE Foundation when I say the invitation to visit the Hague is a humbling yet deeply rewarding experience.

Step-by-step the I CARE Foundation continues to push the mountain of international parental child abduction back.

Our efforts are continuous; however, I want to take a moment to share that if it were not for the incredible work of those activist and advocates who came before us who worked so hard to raise awareness of abduction and do something about it, we would not be in the position we are today where real changes is possible.  Undeniably, each activist who fights to raise awareness of IPCA, regardless if they are part of an organization or simply acting as an individual trying to make a difference on behalf of children surely are making a difference.  In my eyes - those who came before the work of the I CARE Foundation - and there are many - are remarkable heroes.

Here is a little piece about the Hague.

A WORLD ORGANISATION…

With 72 Members (71 States and the European Union) representing all continents, the Hague Conference on Private International Law is a global inter-governmental organisation. A melting pot of different legal traditions, it develops and services multilateral legal instruments, which respond to global needs.
An increasing number of non-Member States are also becoming Parties to the Hague Conventions. As a result, the work of the Conference encompasses 130 countries around the world.

…BUILDING BRIDGES BETWEEN LEGAL SYSTEMS…

Personal and family or commercial situations which are connected with more than one country are commonplace in the modern world. These may be affected by differences between the legal systems in those countries. With a view to resolving these differences, States have adopted special rules known as "private international law" rules.

The statutory mission of the Conference is to work for the "progressive unification" of these rules. This involves finding internationally-agreed approaches to issues such as jurisdiction of the courts, applicable law, and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in a wide range of areas, from commercial law and banking law to international civil procedure and from child protection to matters of marriage and personal status.

Over the years, the Conference has, in carrying out its mission, increasingly become a centre for international judicial and administrative co-operation in the area of private law, especially in the fields of protection of the family and children, of civil procedure and commercial law.

… AND REINFORCING LEGAL CERTAINTY AND SECURITY

The ultimate goal of the Organisation is to work for a world in which, despite the differences between legal systems, persons - individuals as well as companies - can enjoy a high degree of legal security.

A LONG-STANDING ORGANISATION…

The Conference held its first meeting in 1893, on the initiative of T.M.C. Asser (Nobel Peace Prize 1911). It became a permanent inter-governmental organisation in 1955, upon entry into force of its Statute.

…GOVERNED AND FUNDED BY ITS MEMBERS…

The Organisation meets in principle every four years in Plenary Session (ordinary Diplomatic Session) to negotiate and adopt Conventions and to decide upon future work. The Conventions are prepared by Special Commissions or working groups held several times a year, generally at the Peace Palace in The Hague, increasingly in various member countries. Special Commissions are also organised to review the operation of the Conventions and adopt recommendations with the object of improving the effectiveness of the Conventions and promoting consistent practices and interpretation.
The Organisation is funded principally by its Members. Its budget is approved every year by the Council of Diplomatic Representatives of Member States. The Organisation also seeks and receives some funding for special projects from other sources.

…BASED IN THE HAGUE, CENTRE OF INTERNATIONAL JUSTICE

Activities of the Conference are co-ordinated by a multinational Secretariat – the Permanent Bureau – located in The Hague. The Conference’s working languages are English and French.
The Secretariat prepares the Plenary Sessions and Special Commissions, and carries out the basic research required for any subject taken up by the Conference. It also engages in various activities to support the effective implementation and operation of the Conventions.
In addition to Diplomatic representations in The Netherlands, the Secretariat maintains direct contacts with its Members through designated National and Contact Organs. It also develops permanent contacts with experts and delegates of the Members, with the national Central Authorities designated under certain Conventions, as well as with international governmental and non-governmental organisations, and with professional and academic communities. Increasingly, the Secretariat also responds to requests for information from users of the Conventions.

THE HAGUE CONVENTIONS

Between 1893 and 1904, the Conference adopted 7 international Conventions, which have all been subsequently replaced by more modern instruments.
Between 1951 and 2008, the Conference adopted 38 international Conventions, the practical operation of many of which is regularly reviewed by Special Commissions. Even when they are not ratified, the Conventions have an influence upon legal systems, in both Member and non-Member States. They also form a source of inspiration for efforts to unify private international law at the regional level, for example within the Organisation of American States or the European Union.
The most widely ratified Conventions deal with:

• The abolition of legalisation (Apostille)
• Service of process
• Taking of evidence abroad
• Access to justice
• International child abduction
• Intercountry adoption
• Conflicts of laws relating to the form of testamentary dispositions
• Maintenance obligations
• Recognition of divorces

The most recent Conventions are the Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in respect of Securities held with an Intermediary (2006), the Convention on Choice of Court Agreements (2005), the Convention on the International Recovery of Child Support and Other Forms of Family Maintenance together with the Protocol on the Law Applicable to Maintenance Obligations (2007).
Cross-border mediation in family matters, choice of law in international contracts, accessing the content of foreign law and the possible need for the development of a global instrument in these areas are also on the agenda, together with, without priority, the following topics: questions of private international law raised by the information society, including electronic commerce, conflict of jurisdictions, applicable law and international judicial and administrative co-operation in respect of civil liability for environmental damage; jurisdiction and recognition and enforcement of decisions in matters of succession upon death and questions of private international law relating to unmarried couples; as well as assessment and analysis of transnational legal issues relating to indirectly held securities and security interests, taking into account in particular the work undertaken by other international organisations.
Furthermore, the Permanent Bureau has undertaken feasibility studies on the treatment of foreign law, cross-border mediation in family matters, the choice of law in international contracts. The Permanent Bureau also continues its exploration of the possibility to apply certain techniques it has developed in the area of international co-operation to aspects of international migration.

EDUCATION AND EXCHANGE

With the aim of harmonising the implementation of the Conventions, the Secretariat organises, assists in organising and participates in conferences and seminars held at international, regional and national levels to educate the various persons involved in the implementation of the Conventions, including judges, Central Authority personnel and members of the legal profession. A judicial newsletter on international child protection is also published. The Permanent Bureau is regularly visited by groups of interested persons such as parliamentarians and students. An increasing number of stagiaires, as well as civil servants seconded by their Governments, spend time working within the Secretariat. Members of the Permanent Bureau regularly publish articles in learned journals and contribute to books and other publications.

A SOURCE OF INFORMATION CONSTANTLY UPDATED

The Permanent Bureau regularly publishes and maintains a Collection of Conventions together with handbooks on the operation of certain Conventions. It also edits the Proceedings of each of the Sessions which now encompasses an impressive collection of "Actes et Documents". Some of these documents are also available on CD-ROM or microfiches.
The Conference website, www.hcch.net, presents general information concerning the Hague Conference as well as detailed and updated information on the Hague Conventions: texts of the Conventions, full status reports, bibliographies, information regarding the authorities designated under the Conventions on judicial and administrative co-operation, explanatory reports, etc.
INCADAT, the International Child Abduction Database, www.incadat.com, is a special initiative which provides easy access to many of the leading judicial decisions taken by national courts around the world in respect of the 1980 Hague Convention on international child abduction.
INCASTAT, an electronic statistical database which generates the Annual Statistical Forms concerning return and access applications, has been made available for Central Authorities designated under the 1980 Child Abduction Convention.

New York Police Officer Has Daughter Internationally Abducted

CM is a New York City resident and a highly decorated active duty police officer who previously was a New York City firefighter was attacked has been fighting a three-year war to try and reunite with his internationally abducted daughter, who was illegally detained in Germany.

International parental child abduciton is expected to see anywhere from 100,000 to 125,000 American children illegally detained abarod over the next 10 years, with as little as 10% of these children ever coming home.

As the case of CM demonstrates, no parent, even highly decoreated police officers are not immune to international parental child abduciton.

Please take a moment to read about the incredible journey of a man who has served his city, state, and nation in the name of justice and good citizenship, and the nightmare he and his daughter have faced.

If you are a reporter interested in knowing more about CM, please contact me at peter@stopchildabduction.org.

Thank you,

Peter Thomas Senese
Author
Chasing The Cyclone

I CARE Foundation's Peter Thomas Senese Increases Support To Stop Child Abduction

 

Published 2:30 p.m.           October 17th, 2012                           Los Angeles, CA
Georgia (default) Verdana Times New Roman Arial

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In an ongoing effort to help protect children from international parental child abduction, best-selling author and child advocate Peter Thomas Senese, the author of several internationally heralded novels including 'Chasing The Cyclone', 'The Den of the Assassin', and 'Cloning Christ' has donated 100% of his e-book royalties to the International Child Abduction Research and Enlightenment Foundation ( known as the I CARE Foundation), a New York based not-for-profit organization he is the founding director of that was created to help stop international child abduction.  In addition, to his donation stemming from his writing, Peter Senese has continued to provide additional financial support to the foundation in an effort to support its various activities.

 New York City attorney Joel Walter, a board member of the I CARE Foundation who has been practicing complex family law for nearly 40 years commented about Mr. Senese ongoing support to help protect children of abduction when he said, "Mr. Senese's continual financial support and dedication to children through his generous financial support of the I CARE Foundation has had a great influence on so many lives. It is with generous support such as what Peter has previously provided, what he continues to provide, and his honorable pledge for future support that the foundation, in part, has been able to create more than a few miracles. For example, as some of you may not be aware of, legally reuniting with a child wrongfully detained in Africa, and safely creating a path to bring that child or children back home to the United States is a very difficult task. One that has not happened too often in the grave world of international child abduction. In fact, It is a rarity.  There are numerous cases like this from all around the world.  The majority of which are not publicly mentioned due to the nature and severity of the situation . . . but they exist, and I know this first-hand because of my role with the foundation. In fact, I have said often that any person out there trying to help children is doing God's work.  And I strongly and undeniably say that about my wonderful friend Peter Thomas Senese. He asks for nothing, gives so much of his time, his money, his spirit, and his knowledge in hope of protecting others who can't defend themselves.  In the process, he never speaks poorly about anyone, but instead is the eternal optimist. Again - he's doing God's work. Along the way, Peter Thomas Senese's leadership and financial support of the I CARE Foundation has been extremely generous. His gifting comes from not only the direct donation of sales from his novels, but also directly from his own resources. Some  may not know this, but I will never forget when Peter was forced into the storms of abduction - I was there from the beginning and was the first person he turned to when we filed his own Hague Convention application- he said he would do his best to make a difference in this fight to help children.  It was a fight I quickly joined him on. And so, our work continues years later in great part initially because Peter was willing to step up to make a difference.  Something he continues to do."

"It has been incredible to see, as an author, the  impact of Chasing The Cyclone . . . so much started from the idea of a book.  That seed has grown into the I CARE Foundation, which I am thrilled to be a part of. My support of the foundation will continue to the best of my ability," added Senese.

Peter Thomas Senese's geopolitical novels include CHASING THE CYCLONE, THE DEN OF THE ASSASSIN, and CLONING CHRIST. All three titles are available in E-book. Chasing The Cyclone will be released in hardcover this Christman, while both CLONING CHRIST and THE DEN OF THE ASSASSIN are presently available in hardcover.

To purchase Peter's books, please visit Amazon or Barnes and Noble.

Amazon, Barnes and Nobel, Google, Chapters The Incredible Impact of Novelist Peter Thomas Senese's Chasing The Cyclone

Every Writer's Hope . . . 

The Impact of Peter Thomas Senese's 'Chasing The Cyclone'

                                                        

I love reading books. I love writing books. I love talking about books! And I love being around books!

I think Malcolm Forbes got it right when he said, "the richest person in the world – in fact all the riches in the world – couldn’t provide you with anything like the endless, incredible loot at your local library."

Ralph Waldo Emerson, the American essayist, philosopher, poet, and leader of the Transcendentalist movement of the early 19th Century and known for his speech entitled The American Scholar, that is considered to be America's Intellectual Declaration of Independence, once said "man’s library is a sort of harem." I couldn’t agree more! Emerson’s fanciful insight is supported by his opinion that "some books leave us free and some books make us free."

Clearly, a book is a free ticket to anywhere in the universe, and a library is the realm transporter that takes us to new worlds and new dimensions.

But perhaps most of all, a book is a ticket to freedom.

A Book is Freedom

Unquestionably,the power of the written word is alive and well today, as it has been ever since mankind first etched hieroglyphics on stone.  Despite living in the nano-universe of digital storytelling, at the root of our ability to convey a story or issue in the detailed substance that it may deserve, it is my opinion that there is nothing more powerful and insightful than a book.

When I first decided to write 'Chasing The Cyclone', I did so with the hope and intent that perhaps one parent or one lawyer or one judge may learn something about the growing pandemic of international parental child abduction and either prevent the abduction of a child or assist in the safe legal recovery of a child.

What has originated from the first pages I penned of my deeply personal novel while I was sitting on the wind swept sand beach of Paradise Cove located in Malibu Beach has come to be nothing short of a Call-To-Arms against the despicable, unacceptable abuse of a child that is international child abduction and child trafficking.

Unquestionably, the publication of 'Chasing The Cyclone' has helped many parents and children.

Before I go any further, I want you to know that I have learned that by following your heart, you can make a difference for others.  And regardless if that difference benefits one person or many, the privilege of helping another is in fact the greatest gift we can receive.

It is based upon this notion coupled with other blessings I have in my life, that I have volunteered both my time and significant resources to help protect children and their parents.

I have done this by making significant contributions to the highly respected 501 C 3 not-for-profit organization I am the Founding Director known as the I CARE Foundation (I invite you to read more about the I CARE Foundation).  

In fact, outside of direct contributions I have made to the foundation, I have also donated 100% of all my earnings from all e-book sales of my various novels to the I CARE Foundation (I invite you to see 'Peter Thomas Senese Donates Book Sales To Help Children).

Has this been successful?

Incredibly.  

How?

Because my primary goal in writing Chasing The Cyclone was to be able to publish a highly educational, interesting book that would lead to one thing: protecting children from abduction. And there is no question that from the seeds that are Chasing The Cyclone, children who have been abducted have been safely reunited with their parents, and children who were targetedfor abduction were protected. 

I invite you to read, "Peter Thomas Senese Helps Rescue Numerous Children Who Have Been Victims Of Or Targeted For International Abduction' :Note: the select sworn affidavits are only a sampling of sworn testimonials I am in possession of concerning my and the I CARE Foundation's work. A great majority of our activities are not publicly disclosed due to the sensitivity of the subject of child abduction.

So what has made Chasing The Cyclone a great success?  A great deal. Here is a sampling of accomplishments that have and will continue to help children and their parents.


                                                     

                                                    THE I CARE FOUNDATION

1. The creation of the 501-C-3 Not-for-profit ‘International Child Abduction Research & Enlightenment’ Foundation' (I CARE Foundation)  that was established to and has successfully rescued numerous internationally kidnapped children while conducting advanced research in the area of IPCA in order advocate for the creation of new laws that will protect children from international kidnapping.

2. Under the I CARE Foundation’s leadership, we have built a large national pro bono network of lawyers willing to assist parents who are targeted to have a child internationally kidnapped or who have had a child abducted while also launching a successful and ongoing recruitment campaign for lawyers to join the United States Department of State's Hague Convention Attorney Network; and,

3. Overseeing the legal rescue and reunification of numerous internationally kidnapped children; and,

4. Provided necessary resources required for numerous lawyers and targeted parents who were trying to prevent their child from being internationally abducted (see 'Senese Creates Arsenal Of Tools To Hlep Lawyers and Targeted Parents'); and,

5. Board Member Carolyn Vlk wrote the legislation for the State of Florida's Child Abduction Prevention Act while Board Member Peter Thomas Senese orchestrated lobbying efforts that led to the unanimous passage of the CAPA legislation into now effective law; and,

6. Successfully advocated for the federal implementation of the 'Prevent Departure Program' to be used as a tool to stop international parental child abduction; and,

7. Writer and advocate behind legislative initiatives to prevent international child abduction by modifying the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative; and,

8. Writer and advocate behind legislative initiatives to prevent international child abduction by modifying the Prevent Departure Program II; and,

9. The co-authoring and creation and FREE publication of the extensive 'The World Turned Upside Down' open-tablet E-book resource guide on IPCA; and,

10. The creation and production of the FREE ongoing educations documentary film on IPCA titled'Chasing Parents: Racing Into the Storms of IPCA; and,

11. The co-authoring of the extensive research report titled 'Crisis In America: IPCA Today'; and,

12. The co-authoring of the extensive research report titled 'International Child Abduction and Human Trafficking In The Western Hemisphere'; and,

13. The creation of one of the most informative websites on IPCA; and,

14. The ongoing efforts to create additional federal laws that evolve around child abduction prevention.

15. The stout support and advocacy that led to the passage of on line impersonation laws such as those passed in the states of California and New York.

16. I have used significant book publication revenue to finance the recovery of internationally kidnapped children.

17. Upcoming I CARE Foundation sponsored educational legal training seminars for lawyers in the area of IPCA.

18.  A large and growing grass-roots effort to educate parents about the risks of IPCA and child trafficking.

19.  A promise to continue my efforts to educate society about the issues of IPCA, use my resources whenever possible to assist others, and to work toward the passage of new laws that will protect children, as demonstrated in the sworn testimonials of my conduct.


All from a book called 'Chasing The Cyclone' that was inspired by the time in my life I was required to chase into the storms of abduction.

One final note, and this is personally extremely important to me to share.  Before I raised my voice and tried to make a difference in the fight against IPCA, there were, as there are today other wonderful advocates who have fought so hard to protect children by raising their voice, using their resources to fight a good fight, and to pass new laws that will protect children.  I recognize and applaud each of these individuals who make up the community of child advocates who are dedicated to protecting children.

For more on me, Peter Thomas Senese, I invite you to visit my official website.

Peter Thomas Senese: After Facing Down Storms Of International Child Abduction, Best-Selling Author's CHASING THE CYCLONE Mesmerizes Critics

Novelist Peter Thomas Senese was extraordinarily busy with his career until he was unexpectedly forced to race into the unthinkable nightmare known as international parental child abduction. Inspired by the writer's experiences, the novel CHASING THE CYCLONE has been critically hailed as a fast-paced, educational mystery and legal thriller, and Peter Senese as a masterful storyteller. Since this time, the author has become an outspoken advocate of child abduction prevention, and has created an arsenal of tools that have helped at-risk parents.

(PRWEB) November 22, 2011

Peter Thomas Senese's novel "Chasing The Cyclone" has been hailed as a masterful international legal thriller that enraptures readers into the dark and incomprehensible world of global parental child abduction. Inspired by the best-selling author's own experiences racing into the storms of child abduction, critics and readers alike have called "Chasing The Cyclone" a Call-To-Arms against this worldwide epidemic, and Peter Thomas Senese as a master storyteller. "Chasing The Cyclone" will be released on December 1st, 2011 in hardcover and is now available via E-book from online merchants.

Added Peter Thomas Senese, "Chasing The Cyclone" is an entertaining book that puts the reader on a roller-coaster of emotions - which is most targeted parents of abduction experience. In fact, I have had more than one reviewer write to me and tell me that while in the midst of reading this novel, they actually physically threw the book due to pure frustration over the story's protagonist's unthinkable experiences while fighting to find and reunite with his son, only to immediately pick up the book and continue reading - only to want to throw the book again. But that's just it - for parents who are targets of abduction, many enter into an insane world. So, where the resource guide "The World Turned Upside Down" is a collection or important research reports and published studies, "Chasing The Cyclone" is a novel deeply inspired by and drawn from my own experiences."

Critics and readers have praised "Chasing The Cyclone".

... "Chasing The Cyclone" isn't just a powerful novel; it's a call to arms against a growing epidemic that is tearing lives apart behind the headlines . . . "Chasing The Cyclone" is much more than just a superb, can't-put-down novel, though; it is a book with a purpose . . . Peter Thomas Senese has become an outspoken advocate on this issue, and 'Chasing The Cyclone' makes for a clear and profoundly effective call to action. I would go so far as to encourage every loving parent to read this book, as the bond between this father and son is one to be emulated . . . (Renown book reviewer Daniel Jolley)

... "Chasing The Cyclone" will shake the audience, this exciting cautionary thriller grips readers from the onset ... (Renown book reviewer Harriet Klausner:)

... Peter Thomas Senese now opens the windows on the magnitude of these tragedies in his excellent "Chasing The Cyclone" . . . As if the fast paced energy of this story weren't enough to satisfy the reader, Peter Thomas demonstrates his quality as a writer of distinction on many levels . . .this impossible to put down book . . . (Renown book reviewer Dr. Grady Harp)

. . . Chasing the Cyclone" is the second book I've read by Peter Thomas Senese, and like "The Den of the Assassin," it's a real page turner . . . This was a book I could not put down. Thomas has a gift in writing a compelling novel that not only keeps the reader engaged, but educates as well (Renown book reviewer Shelley Gammon)

Patricia Lee, a highly respected international family law attorney practicing international child abduction for nearly 20 years and a Director of the I CARE Foundation (International Parental Child Abduction Research and Education Foundation) stated, "I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Senese first, not as an acclaimed fiction writer, but as a dedicated child advocate helping victimized parents work through the morass of financial, legal and practical issues in their attempts to reunify with their children. I am humbled by his fierce dedication and support to the I CARE foundation, which portends to be a milestone in the State Department's efforts to recruit and train lawyers in this area of the law in order to better serve targeted children and parents, while also educating an uneducated judiciary. Thank you, Peter for all of your impactful dedication."

Joel S. Walter, another Director of the I CARE Foundation and a lawyer who has practiced primarily in the federal courts for 35 years added, "I remember when Peter first became aware of his own child's abduction as I was one of his very first phone calls. His ordeal was unthinkable, and the challenges he faced beyond every parent's nightmare. Yet Peter did everything he needed to do: in essence stopping everything he was doing and dedicated his time and resources toward reuniting with his abducted son, who was taken to the other side of the world. Knowing Peter for as long as I do, and knowing him for the good-natured, generous, and direct man that he is, I was not surprised to see him try to make important changes in the world of abduction prevention so that other parents and children will never have to experience what he and his family have. The I CARE Foundation is actively making a difference for other paents, and Peter Thomas Senese is a very big reason for this."

Since the time Mr. Senese was forced to chase the cyclone of child abduction, the established geopolitical novelist has become an active advocate of child abduction prevention, including initiatives to pass new laws such as Florida's "Child Abduction Prevention Act', and to widely utilize existing federal policy in order to protect children from abduction such as the "Prevent Departure Program".

As a Director of the International Child Abduction Research and Education Foundation, Mr. Senese is actively engaged in two new federal policy initiatives: to modify the "Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative" so all American citizens regardless of age would be required to present a passport when traveling abroad by land, sea, or air. The second initiative, as recommended by the GAO, is to create a secondary airline screening list for individuals possessing American citizenship considered to be high-risk child abductors. In addition, under Mr. Senese's leadership, the I CARE Foundation has commenced a nation-wide recruitment effort seeking attorneys to join the Department of State's "Hague Convention Attorney Network".

While the writer has written prolifically about child abduction prevention, including numerous essays and the previous publication of the groundbreaking and extensive IPCA resource guide he co-authored with Carolyn Vlk that was made available for free to the world via E-book, "Chasing The Cyclone" is a deeply personal story. "When I wrote "Chasing The Cyclone" the words flowed onto the pages very easily. My previous novels are based upon heavy research. In this story, my research was my life's experiences."

Mr. Senese commented on his activism. "For the vast majority of defenseless children and their parents who are targeted for international parental child abduction, they enter a horrific, little-understood world where law and order and justice are fleeting concepts, but typically not reality. Knowing this first-hand, and having successfully navigated this ordeal under the Hague Convention, it was important to me to try to make a difference and help other targeted children and parents. Having a voice as an established storyteller has allowed me to do some of that in both written word, and in creation of the educational documentary film 'Chasing Parents'. Yet there is a great deal of work to be done, and so initiatives continue."

Please visit the official website of "Chasing The Cyclone". To learn more about Peter Thomas Senese, please visit the author's official website.

I CARE Foundation Urges Lawyers In Texas, Nevada, Arizona & New Mexico Sought To Join Department of State's "Attorney Network"

The International Child Abduction Research & Education Foundation (I CARE Foundation) has launched a recruitment campaign urging attorneys located in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada to join the United States Department of State's Hague Convention Attorney Network ("Attorney Network") - and help protect innocent children victimized or targeted by international parental child abduction (IPCA). Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada are hotbeds for IPCA due to a significant increase in reported and unreported parental kidnapping cases to and from Mexico and remaining Central America. The Department Of State's recruitment of attorneys in these states is due to the rise in abduction cases, combined with their effort to educate undocumented parents living in the United States who have been victimized by child abduction that they and their abducted children have protective rights under the Hague Convention.

The I CARE Foundation is urging lawyers in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada interested in assisting parents of children who have been internationally abducted or who may be targets of international parental abduction to participate in the Department of State's "Hague Convention Attorney Network" according to Peter Thomas Senese, a director of the foundation. "In order to prevent child abduction, the reality is lawyers educated on the complex issues of international child abduction need to be mobilized within the Department of State's attorney network. When this occurs, there will be significant opportunity to educate a less than knowledgeable judiciary who are too often unfamiliar with the complexities typically present in these cases. Additionally, and of equal importance, particularly in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada is the need for undocumented individuals living in the United States to know that if their child is abducted from the United States, they have major recourse under the Hague Convention, and that the Department of State's Office of Childrens Issues is ready, willing, and able to assist them.

The Office of Children's Issues in the U.S. Department of State serves as the U.S. Central Authority for the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the "Convention"). The International Child Abduction Remedies Act ("ICARA"), establishes procedures for litigating Convention cases in the U.S. The U.S. Central Authority has numerous functions including facilitating the institution of judicial proceedings in the U.S. "with a view to obtaining the return of the child and, in a proper case, to make arrangements for organizing or securing the effective exercise of rights of access." In April of 2008, the U.S.Central Authority assumed the responsibility for all incoming cases, and overseeing a network of volunteer attorneys.

The "Attorney Network" provides critical assistance. Lawyers that join the "Attorney Network" are asked to consider taking Hague Convention return and access cases on a pro bono or reduced fee basis. There is never an obligation to take a case, and legal fees and expenses may be recoverable under the Convention's Article 26 and the implementing statute (42.U.S.C 11607), and under state law when state law remedies are pursued (e.g., UCCJEA). In addition, lawyers with and without Hague experience are welcome to join the Attorney Network, as the Attorney Network offers a host of information and mentor programs. In addition to incoming cases of abduction, attorneys can also represent parents in abduction prevention cases and outgoing abduction cases.

Presently, there are over 1,640 'reported' cases of IPCA originating from the United States according to the last published report issued from the Department of State to Congress. The number of cases has nearly tripled from 2006 to 2009 alone according to a recent report issued by the Government Accountability Office's ("GAO"). According to I CARE, the number of 'unreported cases' of IPCA appears to be substantial and at least equal the number and growth rate of 'reported' cases.. Many of the 'unreported' cases appear to involve immigrants who originate from Central and South American, and Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada (along with California) clearly have a high-volume of incoming and outgoing cases.

Peter Thomas Senese added, "Overall growth rate of IPCA is conservatively estimated to be between 15% - 20% per year, and there could be well over 100,000 children abducted from the United States between 2009 and 2020 if current trends conservatively stay the same."

As the growing rate of abduction and the shortage of trained attorneys becomes more well known, key media voices in the legal community have recently come to support I CARE's recruitment campaign for attorneys to join the Department of State's "Attorney Program." Aware of the growing crisis in Connecticut, the Connecticut Law Tribune(CLT) recently published an important article concerning this issue.

Patricia M. Lee, a Florida attorney practicing in the area of parental child abduction and a Director of the I CARE Foundation who was interviewed by the CLT states, “I feel privileged to have been a referral attorney for the implementing agency for many years of my private practice. The trauma experienced by victimized children and parents when faced with a child abduction, especially in the international arena, is overwhelming, primarily due to the lack of experienced attorneys, but also, due to the great financial burden, and cultural and language barriers. When they have nowhere else to turn and are so desperate, being able to help these people has been a rewarding experience personally, as well as professionally. It is worth every hour I have spent climbing the learning curve in this little known area of the law. OCI has always been responsive and helpful in the practicalities of dealing with clients living abroad, and the network of mentor attorneys available across the U.S., nothing short of a wealth of information and assistance. My experience in taking these cases has been humbling, to say the least, as I have seen the very best of my profession, which is too often the object of jokes and derision. I would encourage any attorney to join the Attorney Network.”

Joel S. Walter, an lawyer practicing in New York, a member of the I CARE Foundation, and a Director of the Attorney Network said, "As a lawyer practicing complex cases primarily in federal court for over 30 years, it is astonishing to learn of the tragedies children of abduction and their targeted parents face. In joining the Department of State's "Attorney Network", I have an opportunity to give back to our community, and make a difference in the life of a child. Participating in the network is not just good lawyering, but it is good citizenship. The I CARE Foundation looks forward to assisting the Department of State by educating other lawyers about the attorney network in hope that they too may participate in this critical program."

Denise Gunn Garno, a Naples, Florida based lawyer practicing primarily complex family law matters and who is a member of the Department Of State's Hague Convention Attorney Network commented on the significance of lawyers from Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Nevada to join the 'Attorney Network' when she stated, "Florida's new CAPA law presents a challenge to attorneys attempting to ensure CAPA is applied in cases wherein children are in imminent danger of abduction. A lack of judicial awareness is extremely detrimental as it puts children's lives in jeopardy. In order for the State of Florida and our nation to protect our children from abduction, we must not only create abduction prevention laws, but the rules of law must be adhered to. My participation in the Department of State's Hague Convention Attorney Network will make a difference in the lives of my clients and hopefully the children targeted of this crime from my home state."

Carolyn Ann Vlk, writer of Florida's CAPA law and a director of I CARE said, "The reality is that laws that have been established to protect children are not followed in part due to an uneducated judiciary. The way to remedy this is to have informed litigators who can make a difference before the courts. Texas, Nevada, New Mexico, and Arizona have a high case load and clearly attorneys are needed by the Department of State to join their "Attorney Network."

An extensive report to be published by I CARE this December puts the cost of IPCA in the United States over the next 10 years at over 1.6 Billion dollars.

If you are a lawyer interested in finding out more about the Hague Convention Attorney Network, please visit http://travel.state.gov/pdf/AttorneyNetworkFlyer.pdf or call 202-501-4444. To learn more about international parental child abduction please visit http://www.travel.state.gov/abduction.