Delhi Workshop Against Illegal Adoption Unites Hospitals, Police, CWC, and Activists

In recent months, India has witnessed a rise in illegal child adoption transactions, raising serious concerns about children’s rights and safety. In this context, a workshop organized by the Delhi government, the Ministry of Women and Child Development, and several national and international NGOs provided a coordinated platform to address the issue. The workshop brought together heads of major hospitals, senior police officials, members of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC), and various grassroots workers. All participants noted that the lack of documentation in the adoption process, the involvement of unethical intermediaries, and weaknesses in the monitoring system are driving the increase in illicit transactions.

Key points presented at the workshop included recommendations for hospitals to rigorously verify all medical documents related to adoptions, for the police to establish dedicated units for case tracking and swift action, and for the CWC to conduct independent oversight and periodic audits of adoption cases. Grassroots workers emphasized the importance of running awareness programs in local communities, identifying potential victims, and promptly forwarding complaints to the relevant authorities. All parties agreed to create a joint database to ensure transparency of all documents and approvals involved in the adoption process.

The government described this initiative as a crucial step toward protecting child rights and pledged to hold similar workshops regularly in the future to incorporate practical input into policy-making. Experts believe that if stakeholders from health, justice, and social sectors collaborate, it will be possible to dismantle the network of illegal adoptions, thereby providing children with a safe and respectful environment.