The Number Of COVID-19 Orphans Are Increasing And They Are Easy Targets For Human Traffickers

14-year-old Rohan (name changed) now lives with his elderly grandparents and his younger brother at their ancestral village in Uttar Pradesh.

Rohan and his brother were left under the guardianship of their grandparents after they lost both their father and mother who used to work as migrant workers in a span of two weeks due to COVID-19.

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The brothers are among the growing number of 'COVID orphans' in India, children who lost their parents to the pandemic and are mostly left to fend on their own.

Prey for traffickers

As the number of COVID-19 orphans grows, there is an increasing worry among child rights activists and those fighting against child labour that many of these young boys and girls would end up becoming victims of trafficking.

In most cases, the COVID orphans are left with their grandparents or other family members, who may or may not be in a financial position to take care of them.

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Child rights groups fear that traffickers who approach them with a promise to help them financially or to get a job might force them into becoming child labours.

SC cracks down on adoptions

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered a crackdown on NGOs or individuals involved in illegal adoption of children orphaned by COVID-19.

"It has come to the notice of the NCPCR that the identity of the affected children is being disclosed in public announcements by certain unscrupulous agencies and individuals who are inviting interested persons to adopt the affected children," Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, appearing for the National Commission for Protection of Children Rights (NCPCR), informed the court.

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The NCPCR and some women and child welfare NGOs had informed the bench that there are several advertisements in the public domain, including on social media, inviting people to adopt orphans. They submitted that many of them are fake and no adoption is permissible without the involvement of the Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA).

NCPCR told the Supreme Court that as many as 3,621 children were orphaned, 274 were found abandoned and 26,176 lost either parent since April 1, 2020 and June 5, 2021.

According to Swanath Foundation, an organization working for children who are in need of care and protection, governments need to do more than announcing financial aid and free rations for COVID-19 orphans.

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"The scheme announced by the government for such children is not according to what it should be as these children can get only temporary relief from such schemes while missing out on the emotional stability which they have lost. There is only one option, foster care services - it is the duty of a good society and the government to introduce new families to such children," Shreya Bhartiya, founder and Managing trustee of Swanath Foundation said.

"We believe that every child has a right to family and healthy, happy childhood. It also focuses to rehabilitate children who are not adopted and are staying in child care institutions or specialized adoption agencies," added Shreya Bhartiya.