Govt to take steps to prevent illegal adoptions: Renuka

New Delhi, May 3 (UNI) Terming illegal adoptions as a ''national shame,'' Minister of State for Women and Child Development Renuka Chowdhury today said steps would be taken to prevent human trafficking in the garb of adoption and biometric techniques would be adopted to stop adoption of children directly from hospitals and nursing homes.

Addressing a National Meet to review the issues related to Child Adoption' organised by the Central Adoption Resource Agency (CARA) here, Ms Chowdhury said so many children in the country were denied love, care and support of family and ensuring their adoption was a spiritual experience, as not only parents are given the gift of a child but children are given the love, care and security that they deserve.

However, she stressed the need for sensitivity in handling adoption and proper followup so that no human trafficking takes place in the garb of adoption. Pointing out exploitation of children for pornography, she said steps must be taken to protect misuse of children in the name of adoption.

Pointing out lack of transparency as the biggest stumbling block in safe and legal adoption, Ms Chowdhury said all national and state level agencies and NGOs involved in adoption must be listed to prevent flaws in the system nd the exploitation of children.

The Minister also stressed the need for collecting a data base of children available for adoption so that anyone wishing to adopt a child could know where exactly the child meeting his/requirements was available for adoption. It would also ensure transparency in the system.

She said the government was considering compulsory registeration of all pregnancies as it would provide complete information about the number of children being born every year, infant mortality rate, number of children surviving and their exact locations in the country and whether they have been abandoned.

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