In the name of adoption

Adoption is fine, but must follow legal guidelines.
Manas R Bannerjee on a recent seminar on the issue

Each day, more and more children are trafficked into prostitution, forced labour, child marriage, domestic servitude and other slavery-like conditions. Such trafficking often takes place in the name of adoption.

Moreover, despite strict regulations, illegal “adoption” from nursing homes and hospitals also continues unabated.

The issue of adoption was discussed at a seminar organised recently by the West Bengal Council for Child Welfare in collaboration with Malda district administration (social welfare) and West Bengal co-ordination agency on adoption.

Talks were also held on the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act 2000 and the system of legal adoption in case of abandoned and neglected babies.

The officials pointed out that often, abandoned and neglected babies – mostly born of unmarried women or widows – were being sent, illegally of course, to foreign countries.

Invitations to the conclave were sent to officials from different fields such as health care, police and judiciary, in a bid to spread awareness about the system of adoption as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court.

However, there were no participants to represent the police and the judiciary.Plans are afoot to set up a Shishu Griho (children’s home) in each district in the state.

The institution will be established either by the government or by any voluntary organisation and then be certified by the government under section 34.

The government will also expend a sum of Rs 6 lakh every year towards maintenance of the institution, including legal expenditure for care and protection of at least 10 abandoned babies.

Currently, there are only a few organisations in West Bengal, including Missionaries of Charity, dedicated to the upbringing of abandoned babies.

The district judge is the only authority that can execute the adoption procedure following recommendation of the scrutinising committee, an official said. But despite all measures, adoption via the traditional method – that is, without going through the legal nitty-gritty – continues everywhere. And authorities are able to do nothing to curb it.

In Malda district too, in eastern India, the social welfare department has not been able to curb the traditional adoption system.

A recent such incident in the outskirts of English Bazar will exemplify the enormity of the problem.

A couple longing for a male baby – though not childless – adopted the son of a poor rickshaw puller. The latter, of course, gave up his child because of poverty. All that the foster parents did to cement the process was pay betel, nuts and a few copper coins and conduct some rituals.

When the event came to light via newspaper reports, the district administration issued an order to the social welfare department to take legal action, but there is yet to be any development on that front.

Such incidences of “adoption” are common and, of course, without any government record.

There was another case in a village near English Bazar some years ago that created a stir in the local dailies.

A childless Muslim couple “adopted” a poor labourer’s baby because the latter, already a father of five, was neither able to provide for the newborn nor take care of his wife during the delivery.

The foster father, an Army man in Murshidabad, offered to take care of the labourer’s wife’s medical expenses in lieu of the baby. Naturally, the poor couple agreed.

Despite the fact that such “adoptions” may bring a smile to many, WBCCW honorary general secretary Mr Anil Kumar Bhunia emphasised the need to follow the legal procedure for rehabilitation of unwanted and abandoned babies.

Because such a process would not only leave no space for any conflict – for example, between the biological and foster parents – but also check child trafficking.

Mr Bhunia also informed that during 2004-05, 307 children including 171 female babies were adopted within the state and 174 babies including 112 girl children were adopted by couples living abroad.

Many babies have been adopted through the Kolkata-based Missionaries of Charity by couples living in Italy, he added. Similarly, other babies have been adopted by families living in the USA, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and other countries.

And although many childless couples in West Bengal refuse to adopt babies who are physically or mentally challenged or are not “good-looking” by popular standards, such children are readily accepted by couples living abroad, Mr Bhunia said.

Sources : N B Extra of The Statesman ( 25 Nov.2005)