Adoption of Indian Children by the Maltese
According to the latest reports (February 2022), 234 children have been adopted by Maltese parents so far. Sangeeta Bahadur, the Indian High Commissioner to Malta, told TVM News that Maltese parents adopting children from India is another link in the chain that is strengthening ties between India and Malta. Ms. Bahadur also stressed that the relationship between India and Malta is excellent and that India received support from Malta during the pandemic and on other occasions as well.
The Minister for Social Policy and Children’s Rights of Malta, Dr. Michael Falzon, at a conference on Adoption National Strategy revealed that a record number of children were adopted by Maltese families in 2018, and more than 70 % were from India. In the year 2018, it was considered the best year for adoption in the last 10 years. He noted that the best interests of the children are always the priority in this process of adoption. Furthermore, Dr. Falzon stated his focus on furthering the adoption strategy in Malta. Different countries follow different rules of adoption in Malta. With India’s adoption procedure being less intricate and highly accessible than most other countries, it has greater records of adoption from India.
The process of adoption is convenient in India with the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA), which was established by the Ministry of Welfare, Government of India in 1990. CARA regulates, monitors, and promotes the adoption of orphans, abandoned, or surrendered children, with the principal aim of finding loving families for children who need care and protection. An international webinar held on the occasion of International Adoption Month 2020, “Adoption across Borders: Sharing of Experiences,” was chaired by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smriti Irani. It was attended by esteemed dignitaries and diplomats from India, along with 12 central authorities of foreign countries, 14 Indian diplomatic missions, and 3 foreign embassies who participated in the webinar. The Central Authorities of Malta and France also presented their views and best practices. A Maltese couple who pursued the adoption of a second child from India were stuck during the lockdown in 2020. However, a few weeks later, they traveled back to Malta, adopting and thanking each other during the adoption process in India.
On March 24th, 2021, the High Commissioner of Malta in India, H.E. Reuben Gauci, met Mrs. Smriti Irani, to discuss women’s rights and the adoption of Indian children by Maltese families.
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