Canada halts adoptions from Nepal

Canadian authorities have suspended adoptions from Nepal Friday over fraud and child trafficking concerns, the immigration ministry said, AFP reported.

The ministry pointed to a report by the Hague Conference on Private International Law that described "strong evidence" on the prevalence of fraudulent documents and false statements about children's origins, age and status, as well as whether adoptees or potential adoptees were abandoned.

"We know how disheartening this must be for the parents concerned, but several authoritative sources, such as The Hague Conference and UNICEF, have raised serious concerns about the use of fraudulent documents and the prevalence of child trafficking in Nepal," said Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.