Maneka Gandhi

Maneka Gandhi

To anyone who wondered why conviction rate in rape cases is so low, the answer lies in the statistic that just one in four of them is found guilty.

Union Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi’s revelation that no forensic analysis is conducted in 13,000 rape cases as premium forensic labs of the country lacked capacity is quite shocking.

To anyone who wondered why conviction rate in rape cases is so low, the answer lies in the statistic that just one in four of them is found guilty. We have found that the weakest part in conviction is forensic, the minister said. In a country where 106 rapes happen every day as per the National Crime Records Bureau’s 2016 report, it is disturbing to note that a premier forensic laboratory in Chandigarh handles just 160 cases a year.

Tusla knew of illegal adoptions in 2016

Thursday, May 31, 2018

Conall Ó Fátharta and Elaine Loughlin

Tusla was recording illegal adoptions and birth registrations in 2016 — two years before the agency’s revelation that it had uncovered unlawful registrations at St Patrick’s Guild.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil yesterday an independent review into the cases between 1946 and 1969 was ordered after Tusla said it recently uncovered 126 cases where births were illegally registered.

Adoption campaigners urge immediate probe

Thursday, May 31, 2018

By Conall Ó Fátharta

Irish Examiner Reporter

Adoption campaigners want an immediate inquiry into the scale of illegal adoptions — a call they have repeatedly made for years.

Finally, Ireland is listening to long-ignored campaigners

Thursday, May 31, 2018

By Conall Ó Fátharta

Irish Examiner Reporter

Speaking to adoption campaigners in the last 24 hours about the St Patrick’s Guild revelations, you are met with a mixture of bemusement and amusement.

Rapist Briton had tried to adopt children he later abused

By Maureen Ongala | Published Wed, May 30th 2018

Keith Morris, 72 , and a Briton from Hull, was convicted in his country for defiling Kenyan girls.

Convicted paedophile Keith Morris tried to legally adopt some of the children he sexually molested, according to court documents The Standard has unearthed. Morris and his alleged wife Julie Sharp lodged a Motion seeking legal custody of eight children from Maweni village after they reportedly reached an agreement with the minors’ parents. ALSO READ: MP warns over sex abuse payments During his trial in a UK court, which ended in conviction last week, the prosecution demonstrated that the 72-year-old pensioner befriended parents of the children he was later charged with molesting. Legal guardianship Records at a court in Kilifi show that Morris’ effort to secure legal guardianship of these children were thwarted by Kenyan officials, who doubted his marriage to Julie and also his motivation of seeking to take over the big number of children. The doubts were worsened by the fact Morris could not demonstrate whether he and Julie intended to transfer the children to England or live with them in Kenya.

There was also suspicion that the consent by parents to free their children for adoption was procured through duress or money inducement. The Standard has established that Morris lost the application at the Kilifi Law Courts on July 21 2016. On the day of the ruling, Morris told court he required a fast process because he was about to leave Kenya. “I have booked a return ticket and unless the court hears the application, I will not be around,” said Morris in the supposed urgent application. Although the application was characterised as urgent, and lodged while Morris was armed with an air ticket, records show the convict did not leave Kenya until December 15, 2016.

Rapist Briton had tried to adopt children he later abused

By Maureen Ongala | Published Wed, May 30th 2018

Keith Morris, 72 , and a Briton from Hull, was convicted in his country for defiling Kenyan girls.

Convicted paedophile Keith Morris tried to legally adopt some of the children he sexually molested, according to court documents The Standard has unearthed. Morris and his alleged wife Julie Sharp lodged a Motion seeking legal custody of eight children from Maweni village after they reportedly reached an agreement with the minors’ parents. ALSO READ: MP warns over sex abuse payments During his trial in a UK court, which ended in conviction last week, the prosecution demonstrated that the 72-year-old pensioner befriended parents of the children he was later charged with molesting. Legal guardianship Records at a court in Kilifi show that Morris’ effort to secure legal guardianship of these children were thwarted by Kenyan officials, who doubted his marriage to Julie and also his motivation of seeking to take over the big number of children. The doubts were worsened by the fact Morris could not demonstrate whether he and Julie intended to transfer the children to England or live with them in Kenya.

There was also suspicion that the consent by parents to free their children for adoption was procured through duress or money inducement. The Standard has established that Morris lost the application at the Kilifi Law Courts on July 21 2016. On the day of the ruling, Morris told court he required a fast process because he was about to leave Kenya. “I have booked a return ticket and unless the court hears the application, I will not be around,” said Morris in the supposed urgent application. Although the application was characterised as urgent, and lodged while Morris was armed with an air ticket, records show the convict did not leave Kenya until December 15, 2016.

State’s U-turn on illegal adoptions

Wednesday, May 30, 2018

By Conall Ó Fátharta

Irish Examiner Reporter

Finally there will be a sample audit of all records held by the State, writes Conall Ó Fátharta.

Katihar abandoned baby case: Why adoption law matters?

Imkong Walling

Dimapur | May 29

The case of a newborn from Kohima found at a railway station in Bihar may sound like an isolated incident. But is it?

This case, according to rights activists, has revealed a glaring gap in public knowledge about adoption norms and child rights despite the existence of established law.

(Google Translation)

'Maybe I robbed a mother of her child'

Adoptees and their parents consider a lawsuit against the State after irregularities in adoptions from an Indonesian children's home.

Anouk Eigenraam

May 30, 2018 at 22:49

Managements of the Child Care Institutions (CCIs) should reunite the children, who run away from homes for various reasons and missing kids, with their families and help to groom them as good citizens, said Joint Director, Juvenile Welfare Department B.D.V. Prasad Murthy.

Participating in the one-day capacity building programme on ‘Safe family re-integration of children in need of care and protection,’ Mr. Murthy said it was the right of the children to stay with their parents and other family members, and asked the CCIs to help in forming a healthy society.

The programme was organised by the Forum for Child Rights in association with Children’s Emergency Relief International (CERI), on Monday.

‘Spread awareness’

Director of Global Advocacy, CERI, Ian Anand asked the CCIs to restore the children to their families as early as possible as home is the right and safe place for every child. Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Krishna district chairperson B.V.S. Kumar stressed the need for greater awareness on child- related Acts and laws for CCIs.