Dedicated officials in Indian embassies to monitor safety of children adopted abroad

New Delhi: The Ministry of Women and Child Development (MWCD) has requested the foreign ministry to have dedicated nodal officers in Indian embassies for monitoring adoption process of Indian children to ensure their wellbeing. Minister Smriti Irani is believed to have reached out to her colleague S Jaishankar on the request.

At present, the Central Adoption Resource Authority works with foreigners’ regional registration office to process over 400 prospective foreign adoptions every year. Many prospective parents are of Indian origin or non-resident Indians who have close relatives in India.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) member Priyank Kanungo said the commission has received some complaints on out-country adoptions and the ministry’s move were, hence, timely. “The changes will reduce the delay in the process and also help in ensuring safety of children even after the adoption,” Kanungo said.


MWCD is also trying to give parents and children more options. “There are some structural loopholes to children from northeast India finding potential parents in areas similar to their socio-economic conditions. We have addressed that too,” an official said.

In a related development, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a list of amendments to the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, mainly empowering district magistrates to issue adoption orders and monitor implementation of the law. The amendments are aimed at “strengthening Child Protection set-up to ensure best interest of children,” a news statement issued by the ministry said.

Before someone sets up a shelter home for children and sends proposal for registration under the JJ Act to the state, a DM will have to conduct a background check, Irani said at a news briefing in New Delhi on Wednesday.