I am currently being held in the UK with my children, trapped in a legal labyrinth that denies us the freedom we deserve. My children's second passports, representing their dual citizenship, have been unjustly confiscated, stripping them of their rights and our ability to return to a safer environment. This is not just my story—this is the reality for countless families facing similar injustices due to the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The Hague Convention was originally established with one main purpose: to prevent fathers—who were historically the majority of abductors—from taking children across borders and cutting them off from their mothers while automatically having guardianship over their kids in their home countries. Its intentions were rooted in protecting custody rights and preventing sudden removals from a child’s habitual residence. But more than four decades later, the law is being weaponised in the opposite way. Instead of protecting vulnerable families, it is increasingly used against mothers escaping domestic abuse, forcing them and their children to remain in hostile environments.

Victims of domestic abuse—particularly women—are among the most disadvantaged under the current framework. For many, leaving is not an act of abduction but an act of survival. Yet the rigid application of the convention fails to draw a line between perpetrators and victims, punishing those who flee violence with the same brush as those who truly abduct children. This collapsing of distinctions is a grievous oversight that demands urgent reform.

Brazil has already taken steps in the right direction by officially amending its adherence to the convention to better protect victims of domestic violence. This crucial adjustment acknowledges the lived realities of abuse survivors, giving them and their children a chance at safety and a fresh start.

We are calling for a comprehensive review and reform of the 1980 Hague Child Abduction Convention on an international scale. It is paramount that the convention is amended to include explicit protections for victims of domestic abuse, ensuring they are not further victimised by outdated interpretations of the law.

Join us in urging governments worldwide to follow Brazil’s lead. Sign this petition and be a voice for change, justice, and the protection of families who deserve the right to live free from fear and harm. Your support is crucial in making this change a reality. Please sign and share this petition to help bring about a more just and compassionate legal framework.