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Argentina

Country information

Argentina

1. International Family Mediation

Family mediation, in Argentina, is mandatory before all court proceedings regarding the family. Within Argentina there are two branches of family mediation, one is civilly based and is required by law whereas the other is communitarian. Civilly based mediation is required by the Argentinian government under the jurisdiction of the federal capital Buenos Aires to be attempted before any court proceedings are to take place. Divorce proceedings do not need mediation unless they involve alimony proceedings. However, in cases of child abduction, the ultimate decision is left to the courts in the best interest of the child.  

International family mediation services are provided by Fundación Libra, a private, non-profit institution (website is in Spanish). You can contact them directly by phone or post (see on the left here) and by email: libra(at)fundacionlibra.org.ar.

1) Argentina is a Party to the 1980 Hague Convention.

The 1980 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which provides procedural guidelines on the return of children and their protection in cases of international parental child abduction.

Contact Central Authority established in Argentina for cases of child abduction (operational languages: Spanish, English and Portuguese).

2) Argentina is a Party to the 1989 Inter-American Convention.

The 1989 Inter-American Convention: a multilateral treaty among 14 American States that, similar to the 1980 Hague Convention, secures the prompt return of children who have been wrongfully removed from their country of residence.

Contact the Central Authority established in Argentina designated under the 1980 Hague Convention to find out whether the Inter-American Convention prevails in your case and learn how to initiate an application for return of your child (operational languages: Spanish, English and Portuguese).

3) Argentina is not a Party to the 1996 Hague Convention.

The 1996 Hague Convention: a multilateral treaty which determines jurisdiction, applicable law, co-operation in respect of parental responsibility and access rights, as well as civil and public measures for the protection or care of children. 

You can determine whether all countries relevant to your case are Parties, or not, to the 1980 Hague Convention on International Child Abduction, the 1996 Hague Convention on Child Protection and/or the Inter-American Convention on the International Return of Children  in order to locate the appropriate central authority. As for the 1980 Hague Convention, you can check whether the Convention is in force between two specific States in the Spreadsheet showing acceptances of accessions to the Child Abduction Convention.

Foundchild is a non-governmental organisation defending rights of children born from mixed or intercultural marriages. The organisation provides legal and emotional support as well as referral and mediation services to families envisaging child abduction or intending to prevent it. You can contact them directly here.

Habitat for humanity Argentina is a non-profit organisation that provides not only housing for families in need but legal and technical support for families who are struggling financially or are in conflict.

Fundación Pablo Beeson provides psychosocial and legal support to victims of familial abuse and violence (website is in Spanish).

4. Child Welfare Services

Secretaría de Niñez, Adolescencia y Familia (SENAF) of the Government of Córdoba is focused on promoting healthy childhood and strengthening community development centres (website is in Spanish). They provide the inclusion of children and adolescents into the mainstream society, especially those who lives in unfavourable situations of alienation or exile. SENAF has protection and developmental programs that focus on education, sports, art and discussion for these children. The organisation also ensures that adolescents are protected from the penal system if they have confrontations with the law.

Defence of Children Argentina (DCI Argentina) is a non-profit organisation that provides legal counselling for children in conflict with the law. They can refer individuals to governmental and non-governmental institutions that can help children with legal or socio-psychological problems.

SOS Children's Villages in Argentina provides protection and care to the children in cooperation with local authorities and other service providers (you can also address their Spanish page). They are located in Córdoba, Luján, Mar del Plata and Oberá. They ensure the literacy and protection of children and their mothers in low income and high conflict environments. Also, they provide financial assistance and legal support to mothers and children in need.

Comisión de Niñez y Adolescencia en Riesgo provides fieldwork and action research to promote the development of family links (website is in Spanish). They work with children deprived of liberty, in conflict with the law, without a stable family and/or with a breakdown family.

The congregation of the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Cuneo cares for the poorest families’ children and in particular for those who do not have enough or no education.

Cáritas Argentina provides the Early Childhood Program whose objective is promoting of a healthy childhood with regard to its physical, mental, social, moral and spiritual aspects. They work in more than 30 dioceses and provide mothers with help during pregnancy, birth and postnatal period as well as with support in raising their children up to 6 years old. Find your town in the list presented at the bottom here (website in Spanish).

5. Support to Bi-national Couples, Cross-Cultural and Migrant Families

Argentinian Commission for Refugees and Migrants (CAREF) is a non-profit association that provides advice and guidance to migrants, refugees and asylum seekers through social service and socio-legal clinics. You can directly contact them here (website is in Spanish).

Some of the hyperlinks you will find in the texts of this section lead you to websites available only in the native language of the country chosen. Copy the URL-address and paste it in Google Translate, choose your language and click on “translate” to find the whole website available.