Campaign for National Adoption Awareness Month 2025 begins with Special Focus on Children with Special Needs
SDG 3: Good Health & Well-being | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Institutions: Ministry of Women & Child Development
The Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) under the Ministry of Women & Child Development has launched awareness activities from 1 October 2025 ahead of National Adoption Awareness Month in November. This year’s campaign emphasizes non-institutionalized rehabilitation for Divyaang (children with special needs) through both online and offline engagement across India.
In FY 2024–25, a total of 313 children with special needs were adopted - 83 through domestic adoption, 230 via inter-country adoption. The campaign will include poster competitions, pledges, story sharing by adoptees and adoptive parents, mascot design, and interactive sessions in states like Maharashtra, Karnataka, Assam, and others.
Focusing on children with special needs within adoption drives bolsters inclusive child welfare, reduces institutionalization, and strengthens frameworks under the JJ Act, Guardianship & Adoption policies, and Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act.
What is the JJ Act? → The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 is India’s principal law on children in conflict with law and children in need of care and protection. It provides for adoption, foster care, sponsorship, and rehabilitation, while laying down procedures for juvenile justice boards
What are Guardianship & Adoption Policies? → In India, adoption and guardianship are governed by personal laws (like the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act, 1956) and secular laws (like the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 and the Guardians and Wards Act, 1890). These frameworks regulate who can adopt, the rights of adopted children, and the responsibilities of guardians. They matter because they create a legal pathway for rehabilitation of children outside of institutional care.
What is the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act? → Enacted in 2016, this Act aligns Indian law with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It recognises 21 categories of disabilities, mandates equal rights, prohibits discrimination, and provides for reservation in education and employment. In the adoption context, it matters because it safeguards the rights of children with special needs and obligates institutions to ensure inclusive rehabilitation.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders:
What mechanisms and supports must be put in place to ensure smooth adoption processes and post-adoption rehabilitation for children with special needs across states, especially in resource-constrained districts?
Follow the full news here: PIB Press Release ID 2173661