State Sen. Sara Feigenholtz: We adoptees deserve to know our origins. Illinois law made that possible. – Chicago Tribune

Legislative Reform on Adoptee Rights in Illinois: An Analysis of Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Advancing SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• A 2010 Illinois law granting adult adoptees access to their original birth certificates directly addresses SDG Target 16.9, which aims to provide legal identity for all. The legislation restored access to a fundamental identity document that had been sealed by the state.
• The 14-year legislative process to pass the bill exemplifies SDG Target 16.7 (responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making). It involved extensive hearings, negotiations, and emotional testimony from all affected parties, including adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive families.
• The initiative reformed an institutional practice that was based on outdated privacy laws, thereby creating a more just, transparent, and accountable system in alignment with SDG Target 16.6 (develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions).
• Continued legislative efforts, such as sponsoring bills to help adoptees access records from closed agencies, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to strengthening institutional frameworks that protect fundamental rights.

Promoting SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The law contributes to the mental and emotional well-being of adoptees, a key component of SDG 3. Reports from beneficiaries indicate that accessing their records provided a sense of feeling “whole,” facilitated healing, and resolved lifelong questions of identity.
• Access to original birth certificates provides critical information for personal health management. A reported outcome was an individual finally understanding their family’s medical history, which is crucial for preventative care and aligns with the broader goal of ensuring healthy lives.

Contributing to SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The legislation directly addresses SDG Target 10.3 by eliminating a discriminatory law that created a class of citizens without the right to access their own birth records, a right afforded to non-adoptees.
• By restoring this right, the state promoted the social inclusion of adoptees, a group previously marginalized by state policy, which supports the objective of SDG Target 10.2 to empower and promote the social inclusion of all.
• The success of the Illinois law has positioned the state as a national model for adoptee rights, encouraging the reduction of similar inequalities in other jurisdictions.

Key Outcomes and Long-Term Impact

1. Restoration of Identity: Thousands of individuals in Illinois have gained access to foundational information about their origins, including birth mothers’ names and birth times, allowing them to connect with the beginning of their life stories.
2. Family Reunification: The law has facilitated the discovery of previously unknown biological relatives. In one documented case, an adoptee learned of three siblings who had been living less than 10 miles away.
3. A Model for Change: The 14-year effort to pass the law serves as a case study in achieving legislative change through persistence, coalition-building, and centering policy on lived human experience.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Addressed in the Article

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article’s central theme is the reform of a law to correct an “injustice” against adoptees. The author’s 14-year effort to pass legislation allowing adult adoptees to access their original birth certificates directly relates to building more just, effective, and inclusive institutions. The text highlights the fight against “outdated privacy laws” and the establishment of a new legal right, which is a core component of SDG 16.

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• The article discusses the inequality faced by a specific group of people—adoptees—who were denied a right available to others: accessing their own birth certificates. The legislation aimed to eliminate this discriminatory practice and promote the social inclusion of adoptees, allowing them to feel “whole.” This aligns with the goal of reducing inequalities by ensuring equal opportunity and eliminating discriminatory laws.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• A direct connection to health is made when the article mentions an anecdote where, after receiving her birth certificate, “Another woman finally understood her family’s medical history.” Access to this information is a crucial component of personal health and well-being, as it allows for awareness of genetic predispositions and hereditary conditions, contributing to better preventative care.

Specific SDG Targets Identified

Targets under SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Target 16.9: By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration. The article directly addresses this target. An original birth certificate is a fundamental document of legal identity. By enabling adoptees to access this document, the law helps them connect with the “first page” of their story and solidify their full identity.
• Target 16.3: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all. The author describes the previous situation as an “injustice” where adoptees were denied a basic right. The 14-year legislative process to change the law is a clear example of working to ensure equal access to information and personal justice for a marginalized group.
• Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms. The entire article is about the fight for access to information—specifically, an individual’s own birth records. The author frames this not just as a convenience but as a “fundamental human right” and the “right to know ourselves,” which aligns perfectly with this target.

Target under SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices. The law that sealed birth certificates from adoptees was a discriminatory policy. The article details the successful effort to eliminate this law and replace it with legislation that ensures adoptees have the same opportunity as non-adoptees to access their own foundational records.

Target under SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage…and access to quality essential health-care services. While not about health insurance, the article connects access to birth records with essential health information. The example of the woman who “finally understood her family’s medical history” shows how this legal right provides access to information that is vital for personal healthcare and well-being.

Indicators for Measuring Progress

Indicators for SDG 16

• Existence of legislation granting adoptees access to their records: The primary indicator mentioned is the bill that “was signed in May 2010.” The existence of this law serves as a direct measure of progress in protecting fundamental freedoms and ensuring access to information.
• Number of individuals accessing their legal identity documents: The article implies a quantifiable indicator by stating that “thousands of Illinoisans” and “thousands of adoptees” have been able to access their birth certificates since the law was passed. This number measures the direct impact of the institutional change.

Indicator for SDG 3

• Qualitative reports of improved health knowledge: The article provides an anecdotal indicator of progress: the story of the woman who “finally understood her family’s medical history.” While not a quantitative statistic, this type of outcome serves as a qualitative indicator that the law is contributing to the well-being of individuals by providing them with crucial health information.

Indicator for SDG 10

• Repeal of discriminatory laws: The core action described in the article—the 14-year process to overturn the “outdated privacy laws” that sealed records—is itself an indicator. It measures the successful elimination of a discriminatory practice against a specific population group.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: chicagotribune.com