QIC&AC – Monthly Meeting Report :11 September, 2008 Thursday

QIC&AC – Monthly Meeting Report

Date: 11 September, 2008 Thursday
Venue: Seminar Hall, Pediatrics Department, Ward block, All India Institute of Medical Science
Time: 2 to 5 P.M

The agenda for the meeting
1. Feed back of the last meeting
2. “Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration Of Abandoned, Orphaned and Surrendered Children”
3. as other issue suggested by the group

“Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration of Abandoned, Orphaned and Surrendered Children”
The above topic was discussed in length after a detailed presentation made by Ms. Anuradha Gupta and Mr. Dhaneswar Yadav. The discussion revolved around the issue of unknown babies their rehabilitation and adoption procedures. The issue of malpractices in Adoption procedure / illegal adoption and linkages with trafficking also came up during the discussions.

The discussion / sharing were informative as to the roles of various agencies involved in ensuring family to children in special need / need of care and protection.
§ Role of Hospital
§ Role of Police
§ Role of Court
§ the procedure to get license by an adoption agency
§ Role of CWC
§ Role of CARA
§ Formal guideline 2007 and changed terminology
§ Basic Shift of adoption laws from old adoption laws HAMA 1956, GAWA 1890 to new guideline and JJ act?
§ Sequence of registration
§ Mechanism to follow up adoption child
§ Illegal adoption as acknowledged by CARA and commercialization
§ Role of CARA in inter / intra country adoption
§ Is there any State level body or not?
§ Is there a body which maintains adoption related data
§ National data of birth registration
§ On illegal adoption cases the action is taken on Doctor or on the Hospital?
§ What is the possibility of a single window process
§ The competition among the Adoption agency
§ How the adopted children are covering under Immoral trafficking act?
§ Follow up mechanism in inter-country adoption


Decisions for future Action
§ Follow-up meeting on the issue of adoption and related issues like corruption, trafficking and need for simplification of procedure
§ Information gathering on the above issue from various agencies and organisations
§ How can Adoption be promoted as an Alternative to Institutional Care for children in need
§ How to bridge the gap between Children needing Families and Families needing Children within India
§ Brining all concerned departments, organisations and agencies to the same platform for promotion of Adoption as an Alternative to Institutional Care.

Monthly Meetings 7 AUGUST,2008

Monthly meeting
Date: 7 Th August, 2008 Thursday
Time: 3.15 p.m
Venue: Prayas observation home for boys, Firoz shah kotla near Delhi Gate,

The agenda for the meeting
●Child Labor and the pending PIL in Delhi High Court
●Follow-up plans to the workshop on Rehabilitation and Social reintegration of unknown babies (Adoption) held last year with AIIMS
● Recent development in ministry/ department of woman and child etc
●Any other agenda as suggested by the group

ISSUES DISCUSSED :
□Foster care rules:
The members expressed their concern on the constitution of separate committee for formulation of foster care rules and the scope of participation for civil society in it. A proposal from QIC & AC will be sent to the department for initiating participation of civil society in the rule making process.Udayan care will anchor the Foster care and the group will support whenever expected

. □Child labor:
The group discussed the various policies of the government on rehabilitation and treatment of child labor and the processes that can be explored by the group to get an effective Order from Delhi High Court in the pending PIL.

■ Action plan comes out of the discussion:
i) Explore the similar networks working in this field e.g. Delhi legal aid society for pressure building and lobbying.
ii) As judiciary is showing high concern on this problem, one of the members proposed a brief meeting with child labor cell, various committees and honorable judges will be beneficial to sensitize the system.
iii) Explore RTI as much as possible
iv) Need to mobilize and sensitize the society and establishment at large

■ Advocate Abhishek Awasthi informed the group about the new developments in the child labor PIL filed in 2006. The prayer of this PIL is to implement the decision of M C Mehta case in Toto. 28 Th August is the next date for hearing and counsel is waiting for the counter affidavit from Government. An urgent meeting of core group may be called before 28 .08.08 to discuss if counter affidavit comes from the Government and to make next plan of action.

□Adoption:
On adoption Mr Dhoneswar Yadav puts his concern before the group and asked support to tackle the following problems:
a) How to get facts and figures from Government and Private Hospitals on unknown babies?
b) Need of a Research oriented work to compile the various provisions under various existing laws to remove ambiguity
c) As decrease in adoption is perceived day by day, How to promote adoption & reduce institutional care?
■ Next meeting of the group is decided to held on 11 September
a) Venue:AIIMS
b) Agenda: Focus on Adoption
Any issue suggested by the group
(Any change in the schedule will be intimidated)

DECISIONS TAKEN AND WAY FORWARD
Review meeting on Child labor PIL: Adv Awasthi will inform the group as soon as counter affidavit will come

In drafting JJ Rule, Department should take initiative to ensure the Participation of civil groups: A letter will be sent to department on behalf of QIC & AC by Ms Ratna Sexena

Promoting RTI in child labor and adoption : Adv Ajayji and coordinator Jayanta Saikia will take initiative

Ensure an informal meeting with Honorable Justice K Gambhir and Honorable Justice M B Lokure of Delhi High Court with detail documentation: Convenor Mr M M Vidyarthi and Mr Ravi Prakash from CRY will take initiative

Anchoring Foster care Rules, Udayan care will take initiative and will send registration soon

Detailed discussion on Unknown babies will be done in Next meeting on 11.09.08 in AIIM by Mr. Dhoneswar Yadav.An internee will help Mr Yadav in legal documentation and Adv Ajay and coordinator Jayanta Saikia will assist in filing RTI.