Govt Will Safeguard Children’s Rights, Says WCD Secretary
The conclave, held in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, drew more than 400 delegates, including policymakers, adoption experts, adoptive families and child protection stakeholders from across the country.
Visakhapatnam: Women and child development ministry secretary Anil Mallik said the government is committed to protecting the rights of all children and ensuring that every child—particularly those with special needs—grows up in a safe, nurturing and permanent family environment.
Delivering the keynote address at the National Adoption Awareness Conclave 2025, organised by the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh Women Development and Child Welfare Department, he urged States and authorised agencies to work collaboratively to strengthen adoption systems in line with the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and the Adoption Regulations, 2022.
The conclave, held in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, drew more than 400 delegates, including policymakers, adoption experts, adoptive families and child protection stakeholders from across the country.
Organised as part of National Adoption Awareness Month, the event centred on this year’s theme—Non-Institutional Rehabilitation of Children with Special Needs (Divyaang Children). Panel discussions stressed the need for compassionate, family-based care instead of institutionalisation.
Representatives from Telangana, Odisha, Uttarakhand and Chandigarh presented best practices on medical assessments, financial support, early identification of children, and legal facilitation of adoption. Speakers stressed improved coordination between SARAs, District Child Protection Units, Child Welfare Committees and other agencies to ensure timely, transparent and child-centric adoption processes.
