http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2009/jun/12/madonna-adopt-malawian-child

Madonna wins right to adopt second Malawian child

Madonna has permission to adopt a second child from Malawi. She won permission after the country’s highest court overturned an earlier decision to reject her application. According to the supreme court of appeal, Madonna was free to adopt four-year-old Mercy, despite not having lived in Malawi for 18 to 24 months, as the law requires. The American singer adopted a 13-month-old boy, David Banda, in Malawi in 2006. Local critics then accused her of using her fame to sidestep regulations after she was given permission to take the child to London before the adoption was finalized in 2008. No other foreigners had been allowed to adopt any of Malawi's estimated 1 million orphans without satisfying the residency requirements, the judge said. A local group 'The Eye of the Child' says these rules are necessary to prevent child abuse and they think foreign parents should be the last adoption option. Relatives of Mercy are uncomfortable with the court's decision. But it's clear that the government is in favour of the adoption. They want to give Mercy a chance to have a better future and better education. Judge Munlo Agreed: 'Either to stay at the orphanage without the love of family and live with the possibility of destitution or be with Madonna where she is assured of love. Every child has the right to love'.

Reaction

I do agree with the Malawian government, every child has the right to love. I believe that Mercy will have better education and a much better future with Madonna. I do not understand that the relatives are uncomfortable with the decision. If they care about Mercy than why was she still in the orphanage? The thing that made me angry is that a famous person can easily adopt a child, without following the rules. Why do they make an exception for a celebrity? There are more children that have the right to a better future, not only Mercy. I find it sad to read things like these; I really hope that the Malawian government will change the law for everyone.