Every child deserves a loving and caring family. Every child. Everywhere.

Millions of children around the world have no family, are legal orphans, and need a loving and caring family. There are millions of people in the U.S. who have expressed an interest in adopting many of these waiting children. Yet millions of orphans continue to suffer in orphanages and congregate care facilities.

The reasons so many of these children continue to wait when so many people are willing to adopt them are varied, but most of the solutions are not complex. It is often the simplest actions that, when combined with other simple actions, can begin to solve the problem of unparented children.

One action our federal government can take is to publicly affirm that a child’s right to a family is a basic human right. This is an area where the U.S. can be a leader, and it will help millions of children, today and in the future. Once we stand together and declare each child’s right to a family, the world’s view of children will begin to change.

The first step in making a difference around the world is to establish accountability for how children are treated. If having a family is a basic human right, keeping children in orphanages, when they could have a family, should be recognized as a human rights violation. Harvard Law professor Elizabeth Bartholet and the Child Advocacy Program at Harvard are partnering with other child advocacy groups to promote this child-centered policy and have proposed a legislative solution, in an effort to turn the tide for children around the world.

You can help.