Event Summary
After more than a decade of debate and civil society mobilisation, Chile’s Congress approved a long-awaited reform to its adoption law. The new legislation eliminates discrimination based on sexual orientation and marital status, shortens judicial procedures, and aligns national law with international child rights standards. This reform responds to growing social demands and criticism over the rigidity and inefficiency of the current law. More than 30 civil society organisations, international agencies, and academic institutions actively worked to push the reform forward. Among those participating in the parliamentary debate were groups defending children’s rights, LGBTQIA+ rights, minors in vulnerable situations, migrants, and religious representatives. While the bill has been approved by Congress, it is still awaiting official promulgation, expected in the coming weeks. Beyond the legal changes, the reform also reflects a major civil society effort acknowledged by legislators through participation and inclusion in legislative assemblies.
The recent approval of Chile’s adoption law reform is not an isolated event, but rather a notable milestone within a growing pattern of civil society-driven efforts to protect children’s rights and promote inclusive family policies. While previous developments such as the creation of the Defensoría de la Niñez in 2018 or the 2022 reform of the child protection system were led largely by institutional actors, this reform stands out because of the central and sustained role of civil society organizations (CSOs) in its conception, advocacy, and monitoring.
For over a decade, more than 30 organizations such as Fundación San José, Fundación Mi Casa, MOVILH, Iguales, and Fundación Chilena de la Adopción, among others, have actively participated in public hearings, submitted proposals, and mobilized public opinion to push for a legal framework that truly reflects the principles of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. In consulting civil society organisations, The Colunga Foundation and its Observatory for Children highlighted the active participation of civil society in this legislative process, which was able to systematically present evidence and knowledge throughout the year that served to unblock certain issues.
In this sense, the reform is not a spontaneous victory but the accumulation of persistent and coordinated civil society advocacy. It demonstrates that sustained engagement from non-state actors can yield structural change, even in politically polarized environments. Moreover, it highlights that participatory policymaking, when supported by public accountability and international human rights standards, can correct longstanding exclusions and drive legal innovation.