ADOPTION REGULATIONS, 2021

• According to a new clause in the adoption regulations, Indian diplomatic missions abroad will now be in charge of safeguarding adopted children whose parents move overseas with the child within two years of adoption.
• So far, Indian missions have had a role in inter-country adoption of Indian children limited to kids adopted by Non Resident Indians (NRIs), Overseas Citizens of India or foreign parents.

Important points:

• It amends the Adoption Regulations, 2017.
• The amendment has been notified in accordance with the relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (2 of 2016) and it amends Adoption Regulations, 2017.
• Recently passed Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Act, 2021, seeks to strengthen and streamline the provisions for protection and adoption of children.
• It provides that instead of the court, the District Magistrate (including Additional District Magistrate) will issue such adoption orders.
• It has been made by the Central Adoption Resource Authority and has been notified by the Woman and Child Development Ministry.
• CARA is a statutory body of the Ministry of Women & Child Development. It functions as the nodal body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.

Need:

• Some cases came to the attention of the authorities recently when Indian children were adopted by parents in India and who ended up moving abroad later, hence going out of the purview of Indian authorities and also not falling under purview of Indian Missions abroad.
• Such childrens are vulnerable as they can be neglected, exploited, maltreated or abuse of these children can happen.

SOURCE: THE HINDU,THE ECONOMIC TIMES,MINT