June 29, 2007	Friday	Jamadi-us-Sani 13, 1428

KATHMANDU, June 28: The Nepalese government has suspended inter-country adoptions to draft new laws to clamp down on abuses, officials said on Thursday. In poverty-stricken Nepal where annual per capita income is $240, many parents place their children for adoption in a bid to give them a better life. Some sell their children.

“Child adoption from Nepal has been temporarily stopped as we’re preparing new policies to end irregularities and malpractice in the adoption process,” Ministry of Children Secretary Madhab Bhattarai said.

The new standards would comply with adoption rules in the Hague Convention.—AFP