You Should Not Post, Share Or Propagate Any Appeals For Adoption Of Children Orphaned During COVID-19. Here’s Why?

 

The second wave of Covid-19 has been full of pain and turmoil for Indians. Children, too, aren’t eclipsed from the ongoing catastrophe. The news circling various platforms is sinister and horrifying. At present, the country is witnessing the petrifying state of the rising cases of Covid-19 and the frightening instances of assault and violence. With deaths due to the Covid-19 on the rise, Twitter and WhatsApp are flooded with citizens sharing details of children who have lost their parents or the only living parent to the disease and pleading for them to be adopted. You must have come across such posts yourself. However, you would be shocked to know that such posts appealing for adopting children orphaned during covid-19 are illegal. 

Yes, you heard it right. Such posts are illegal under Sections 80 and 81 of the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, 2015, which prohibits offering or receiving children outside the process laid down under the Act and their sale and purchase. Such acts are punishable with three to five years in jail or Rs. 1 lakh in fine.

Suppose you’re sharing a post or a story requesting people to adopt children whose parents have died due to Covid-19 by specifying their details; you’re “offering” children to be adopted outside the process laid down by JJ Act. In that case, you’ll be held liable, and you’ll be prosecuted. If you’re on the “receiving” end, which means that you have seen these posts and instead of dialing 1098 and intimating them or any other child welfare committee, you initiate the procedure for adoption of such children, which is not as per the process laid down by the Act, you’ll be prosecuted.

Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Anurag Kundu, wrote to Delhi Police Commissioner, flagging such posts as possible cases of trafficking and requesting for a probe in each of these instances. Yes, your intention may not be wrong. Still, you’ve no idea what kind of a heinous crime you’re letting yourself into and endangering the life of an innocent child. You’re indirectly facilitating the process of human trafficking.

The citizens must dial helpline 1098 to pass on information about children in need of care and protection. 1098 is a pan India Child Helpline Number. We understand how strenuous the situation is. However, it is always appreciable to help the children the right way in order to ensure their safety and happiness.

This article has been written by our Amol - Akshit Bakshi.

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