Much as Northern corporations outsource their manufacturing in the sweatshops of the South, rising infertility rates in the rich world, particularly the US, are leading couples to 'shop' for a child in poorer countries. Korea, Vietnam, Russia, China and India are among the favoured destinations.

A series of scandals uncovered in the south Indian state of Andhra Pradesh over the past six years is finally laying bare the criminal network that has been built up around the traffic in girl babies. Private adoption agencies in the state capital, Hyderabad, networked with foreign placement agencies to set up a baby-trafficking system which made a mockery of India's existing rules for intercountry adoption.

Babies were harvested from the Lambadas--a nomadic community found all over India with fair, Caucasian features. This community, living in a vicious cycle of poverty and hunger, has had its cultural and economic life destroyed. Lambada traditions have given way to the mainstream Indian phenomenon of dowry-payments, which involves the bride's family being forced to pay considerable amounts to negotiate a wedding. As a result in conditions of extreme poverty it can be easier to sell a girl than to raise her.

Private adoption agencies' touts hunted for vulnerable, expectant families who already had one or two daughters. The mother herself had little negotiating power. For as little as 150-500 rupees ($3-$10), the new-born girls were taken to adoption agencies by touts who were paid about 6,000 rupees ($120) per baby. Mothers who went to reclaim their babies were turned away.

According to national regulations, Indian adopters have preference. In reality these laws are bypassed, as most Indians cannot hope to pay the going global rate ($22,000-$25,000 per child). Papers are forged and guidelines violated as babies are matched rapidly with a foreign parent. Western placement agencies collect payment far in excess of the actual adoption costs then route a portion of this to the Indian adoption agency which uses the money to 'smooth things over'. Lawyer's also take their cut.

The repeated scandals over baby-trafficking have embarrassed the Andhra Pradesh Government. As a result many of the adoption agencies have been closed down and traffickers have been arrested and charged. Child-rights activists in Andhra Pradesh have appeared in court to substantiate the charges of trafficking. In the protracted litigation that has ensured, permission for foreign adopters has been refused by the Family Court (the court that awards guardianship), the High Court of Andhra Pradesh and the Supreme Court of India. Public outcry has also led to a loose organization of Indian adopters who otherwise never stood to adopt a child.

While Andhra Pradesh has finally put a stop to new intercountry adoption cases, this practice continues in much of the rest of India. The Central Adoption Resource Agency, a monitoring body recognized by the Indian Government despite largely comprising the adoption agencies permission to process foreign adoptions--including to Tender Loving Care, one of the agencies accused in Andhra Pradesh.

Many children from the Andhra Pradesh scandals have now gone to Indian homes. But one child, four-year-old Haseena, continuous to be institutionalized because of the refusals of US citizens Sharon van Epps to let go--despite the fact that Indian parents have been waiting to adopt the child since 2002. Van Epps has lost her case in the Family Court, High Court and Supreme Court but continues to stay in India to put pressure on the Andhra Pradesh authorities to give her the child. The US Consulate in India and officials of the World Bank are understood to have leant on the State Government which is noted for its reliance on foreign aid. On 7 June 2003 the Government refused to hand over the child to the India parents and appears to be caving in to please the foreign lobby.

This case proves the point that intercountry adoption today is a solution more for families needing children than for children needing families.