The program consisted of a roundtable discussion held at the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad on April 22, 2024, followed by a visit from U.S. officials to the Centre for Child and Youth Justice at NALSAR University of Law on April 23, 2024. The primary objective was to address cases of International Parental Child Abduction and situations where American children are abandoned overseas by one or both parents.

Dr. D Bala Krishna, Faculty of Law and Coordinator of the Center for Child and Youth Justice at NALSAR University of Law, participated in the roundtable discussion with Consular Chief Rebekah Drame and a two-person delegation from the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues. The discussions focused on strengthening cross-border cooperation, sharing best practices, and enhancing support mechanisms for affected children and families.

The subsequent visit to NALSAR University aimed to explore potential partnerships and develop actionable solutions to improve responses to these complex cases. The participants discussed the implementation of collaborative strategies to address issues related to international parental child abduction and the protection of children abandoned overseas. The ultimate goal was to ensure better outcomes for the children involved in such situations by fostering international cooperation and developing more effective support systems.