Supreme Court urged to stop illegal adoption of children orphaned by COVID-19
- The adoption of orphaned/abandoned/surrendered children is lawful only after the adoption procedure as given under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 is followed.
- The NCPCR statistics show that 3,621 children were orphaned, 26,176 children lost either parent and 274 children were abandoned between April 1, 2021, to June 5, 2021.
- No adoption of a child can be permitted without the involvement of CARA.
NCPCR: National Commission for Protection of Child Rights:-
- Set up in March 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005.
- under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
- Composition: Chairperson + six members (at least two women).
- appointed by Central Government for three years.
- The maximum age to serve in commission is 65 years for Chairman and 60 years for members.
Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA)
- statutory body under Ministry of Women & Child Development,
- nodal body for adoption of Indian children
- monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.
- deal with inter-country adoptionsin accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Inter-country Adoption, 1993, ratified by Government of India in 2003.
- mandated to frame regulations on adoption-related matters as per Section 68 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.