Lok Sabha Question No. 4326 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-12-20
Subject: Specialised Adoption Agencies
Ministry: WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Smt. Bharti Pardhi, Shri Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Shri Shrirang Appa Chandu Barne

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4326 TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.12.2024

## SPECIALISED ADOPTION AGENCIES

## 4326. SMT. BHARTI PARDHI:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE:

SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT:

Will the Minister of Women and Child Development be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  Government  has  conducted  inspection  of  Specialised  Adoption Agencies (SAAs) in country;
- (b) if so, the details of irregularities discovered, agency-wise and State-wise, along with the action taken by the Government in this regard;
- (c) the  number  of  children  adopted  by  foreigners  from  India  during  the  last  10 years, country-wise;
- (d) whether  the  Government  of  India  has  received  complaints  of  improper upbringing and exploitation of children adopted by foreigners, if so, the details thereof, country-wise;
- (e) whether  any  laws  have  been  enacted  for  the  protection  of  such  children adopted by foreigners; and
- (f) if so, the details of the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government of India in this regard?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN AND CHILD DEVELOPMENT (SHRIMATI SAVITRI THAKUR)

(a) & (b): This Ministry is administering the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act, 2015) as amended in 2021 which is the primary legislation for  ensuring the safety, security, dignity and well-being of children. As per Section

65(3)  of  the  JJ  Act,  2015,  the  State  Government  is  mandated  to  inspect  every Specialised Adoption Agency at least once in a year and take necessary remedial measures, if required. Further, as per Rule 27(3) of Adoption Regulations 2022 the State Government or concerned  State  Adoption  Resource  Agency  is  mandated  to  conduct  annual inspections of Specialised Adoption Agencies to ensure that they are working properly as per norms laid down in the rules. The State Government/ UT Administration is competent to take action based on  irregularities  noticed  as  per  the  JJ  Act,  2015,  JJ  Rules  2022  and  Adoption Regulations 2022. The primary responsibility of implementation of the JJ Act lies with the  respective  State/UT  Government.  The  Ministry  has  not  received  reports  about irregularities in this regard. (c): During the last ten years' period, the country-wise details of the number of children adopted by foreigners from India is at Annexure . (d):       No,  Sir.  The  Government  has  not  received  any  complaints  of  improper upbringing and exploitation of children adopted by foreigners. (e) & (f): The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2021) and the Adoption Regulations, 2022 envisage safeguard for children adopted both within the country and outside the country. Further, India has ratified the Hague Adoption Convention in 2003 to ensure child protection safeguards for all children placed in Inter-country Adoptions.

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ANNEXURE

ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (C)  OF  THE  LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.4326  FOR  ANSWER  ON  20.12.2024  BY  SMT. BHARTI PARDHI, SHRI SHRIRANG APPA CHANDU BARNE AND SHRI ARVIND GANPAT SAWANT REGARDING SPECIALISED ADOPTION AGENCIES

| Country-wise details of the number of children adopted by foreigners   | Country-wise details of the number of children adopted by foreigners   | Country-wise details of the number of children adopted by foreigners   |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Sl. No                                                                 | Country                                                                | Total Children Adopted in 10 yrs                                       |
| 1.                                                                     | AUSTRALIA                                                              | 7                                                                      |
| 2.                                                                     | AUSTRIA                                                                | 8                                                                      |
| 3.                                                                     | Bahrain                                                                | 4                                                                      |
| 4.                                                                     | BELGIUM                                                                | 42                                                                     |
| 5.                                                                     | Brazil                                                                 | 1                                                                      |
| 6.                                                                     | CANADA                                                                 | 193                                                                    |
| 7.                                                                     | CHINA                                                                  | 2                                                                      |
| 8.                                                                     | Czech Republic                                                         | 1                                                                      |
| 9.                                                                     | DENMARK                                                                | 32                                                                     |
| 10.                                                                    | Ethiopia                                                               | 2                                                                      |
| 11.                                                                    | FINLAND                                                                | 55                                                                     |
| 12.                                                                    | FRANCE                                                                 | 144                                                                    |
| 13.                                                                    | GERMANY                                                                | 24                                                                     |
| 14.                                                                    | HONG KONG                                                              | 12                                                                     |
| 15.                                                                    | Indonesia                                                              | 6                                                                      |
| 16.                                                                    | IRELAND                                                                | 1                                                                      |
| 17.                                                                    | ITALY                                                                  | 1029                                                                   |
| 18.                                                                    | Japan                                                                  | 3                                                                      |
| 19.                                                                    | Kenya                                                                  | 5                                                                      |
| 20.                                                                    | LUXEMBOURG                                                             | 5                                                                      |
| 21.                                                                    | MALAYSIA                                                               | 6                                                                      |
| 22.                                                                    | Malta                                                                  | 215                                                                    |
| 23.                                                                    | MAURITIUS                                                              | 18                                                                     |
| 24.                                                                    | NETHERLAND                                                             | 3                                                                      |
| 25.                                                                    | NEW ZEALAND                                                            | 64                                                                     |
| 26.                                                                    | Nigeria                                                                | 1                                                                      |
| 27.                                                                    | NORWAY                                                                 | 2                                                                      |
| 28.                                                                    | PHILIPPINES                                                            | 1                                                                      |
| 29.                                                                    | SAUDI ARABIA                                                           | 1                                                                      |

| 30.   | SINGAPORE    |   63 |
|-------|--------------|------|
| 31.   | SOUTH AFRICA |    6 |
| 32.   | SOUTH KOREA  |    2 |
| 33.   | SPAIN        |  517 |
| 34.   | Sri Lanka    |    2 |
| 35.   | SWEDEN       |  110 |
| 36.   | SWITZERLAND  |   11 |
| 37.   | TANZANIA     |    2 |
| 38.   | THAILAND     |    3 |
| 39.   | TURKEY       |    2 |
| 40.   | U.K.         |   73 |
| 41.   | UAE          |  252 |
| 42.   | USA          | 2031 |
| 43.   | Vietnam      |    2 |
| Total | Total        | 4963 |

SOURCE : CARINGS portal

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