Girls first choice for adoption

Nearly 300 girls adopted in UP in past 3 years, number of male children adopted hovers around 150

In Uttar Pradesh, female foeticide is still a burning issue and many families have a a strong preference for a male child. But contrary to expectations, when it comes to adoption, it is the girl child that remains the first choice.

According to sources in the women and child welfare department, nearly 300 girls were adopted in the state in the past three years . The number of male children adopted hovered around 150 as per the data.

Shilpi Saxena, incharge of the adoption unit at the Lilawati Munshi Balgirh said , “Couples coming from rural backgrounds ask for a male child but for the educated lot, it is the girl child that remains the first choice.”

There were some couples who were not at all concerned about the gender of the adopted child, she added.

Asia Raza, in-charge of the adoption unit at government shelter home on Prag Narayan Road said, “There are reasons for more girl adoptions. Since a large number of abandoned children are girls, the option that adoptive parents have is a female child. Some couples adopt girls as they do not want to wait too long for a boy.”

The adoption agencies endorsed that when the couples were set for adoption, the gender of the child wasn’t much of an issue. They also said that a large number of parents preferred the girl child because they felt that girls were more affectionate and it was easy to accept them as part of the family . Not only couples, single women too preferred girl child for adoption, said adoption agencies’ staff.

An RTI revealed t hat Maharashtra adopted more girls than any other state, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Even Bihar witnessed the same trend where more girls were adopted than boys. Around 144 girls were adopted in the state against 73 boys as per the data. In Haryana, the gap is narrow, though the number of girl child adoptions take the lead. Against 73 girl adoptions, 44 boy adoptions were recorded in the state. There are nearly 400 adoption agencies in the country. The average time taken to process applications varies from six to eight months, depending upon the availability of adoptable children with adoption agencies.

However, the online application system had hit the adoption procedure because rural couples did not have much access to internet, said Asia Raza.

There are reasons for more girl adoptions. Since a large number of abandoned children are girls, the option that adoptive parents have is a female child. Some couples adopt girls as they do not want to wait too long for a boy. ASIA RAZA, in-charge, adoption unit, government shelter home, Prag Narayan Road