Girl adoptions up in state

Girl adoptions up in state
7 Mar 2009, 2238 hrs IST, Simran Virk, TNN

LUDHIANA: Today is International Women’s Day. The day symbolizes the growing awareness and realization among members of the fairer sex regarding their rights and social and economic emancipation.

Going by the number of women empowerment schemes, the government wants to give out the message that girls are assets and not liabilities.

Despite disturbing reports of female foeticide being rampant in the state, the good news is that more girls are being adopted by people now. According to information provided by the Swami Ganga Nand Bhuriwale International Foundation (child adoption centre), Talwandi Khurd, the number of female adoptions have gone up.

If statistics are to be believed, out of 14 adoptions in 2007, nine were girls and four boys, while in 2008, out of 24 adoptions, 16 were girls and the rest boys.

Foundation secretary Kuldeep Singh Mann said children, especially girls, born out of wedlock were frequently abandoned outside orphanages. “Such children rarely find acceptance in our present social set up. This is because of the social stigma attached to unwed mothers,” he added.

Informing that the rate of female adoptions had risen, Mann said, “Counselling will certainly bring a positive change in people’s ideologies. People should realize that girls are no less than men and are proving their mettle in the male-dominated society.”

Kuldeep further said as the centre had sought permission of international adoption, more couples were being attracted towards adopting children.