GIRL CHILD ADOPTION

Feb. 12, 2019

The Ministry of Women and Child Development informed Lok Sabha about the status of in-country adoptions and inter-country adoptions between 2015 and 2018.

Key Findings: 

  • In-Country Adoptions: Between 2015 and 2018, about 11,649 children were put up for in-country adoptions; of them 6,962 were girls and 4,687 were boys. Thus, female children comprise almost 60% of all in-country adoptions. 

  • Inter-Country Adoptions: Between 2015 and 2018, of the 2,310 children placed under adoption between the same period, 1,594 were females. Thus, female children comprise almost 69% of all inter-country adoptions. 

Comment: 

  • India may have a skewed gender ratio, but the female child happens to be the first choice when it comes to adoption. 

  • There was little doubt that more girls were being adopted and it reflected that gender bias and the attitude of people against the girl child are changing across the country. 

  • The whole issue of more girls getting adopted needs to be looked into with research. The urban middle class people were preferring female children because they are concerned and aware of the situation of the girl child. The situation may not be the same for villages and small towns. 

Source : The Hindu