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Madonna called criticism of her adoption "shocking" in an interview on Wednesday's The Oprah Winfrey Show, the first time the singer addressed rumors and controversy surrounding her planned adoption of a 1-year-old boy from Malawi. But experts say she and her husband, Guy Ritchie, have chosen an area of the world where international adoption is still in uncharted waters, and she shouldn't be surprised by the furor.
On Oprah, Madonna talked about Malawi's stark poverty -- open sewage, 8-year-olds running households and dying mothers -- and the emotional tug to bring home a child to a better life.
It's a common reaction, says Vicki Peterson, executive director of Wide Horizons for Children Inc., the agency that helped actress Angelina Jolie adopt her daughter, Zahara, now 1, from Ethiopia.
"The impact is profound, and you cannot walk away from areas where children live in those conditions without having it change your life," says Peterson, who applauds Madonna's efforts to adopt and the singer's appearance on Oprah. "Anything she can do to get out the word that these kids need help is appreciated."
But by choosing to adopt from Malawi, Madonna opened herself up for additional challenges, "because laws are abysmally inconsistent in all countries," says Justin Dzonzi, head of the Human Rights Consultative Committee, a coalition of human rights groups that has petitioned courts in Malawi to be involved in the adoption process. A hearing is set for Friday.
When Madonna said that "there are no adoption laws in Malawi," she is mostly correct, he says: There is no definition for international adoption.
Dzonzi says Madonna "may be oversimplifying" the idea of swooping in to save a child, "but she must have a team of legal experts advising her." His group is not challenging the adoption to block it; they want involvement to be sure children's rights laws are upheld.
Madonna told Winfrey that her social worker advised her to consider other African countries for a less controversial adoption.
Another challenge: Malawi is among African countries where the term "adoption" is not part of the language spoken, Peterson says.
Madonna blames the media for twisting the words of David's father, Yohane Banda, who created global headlines this week when he said he wasn't aware he was giving up his son "for good." (He told Time this week that he would not contest the adoption.)
The confusion "is easy to understand," Dzonzi says. "The average Malawian does not understand the difference between foster parenting and adoption."
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