Conference Background

After much discourse and commitment amongst the concerned authorities on inter-country adoption, the 1st International Conference on Inter-country Adoption is being organized in Kathmandu, Nepal on March 11 – 13, 2007.
The Ministry for Women, Children, and Social Welfare with Central Child Welfare Board and Child NGO Federation Nepal are the organizers. Nepal Children’s Organization is the co-organizer.
This conference is an effort towards sharing the benefits to the children, national and international legal frameworks and processes, and national inter-country adoption trends.
Though Nepalese children have been adopted by foreign nationals for more than 30 years, there has been periodic reformation on the terms and conditions for inter-country adoption with many more shortcomings to improve for the best interest of the child. It is also an endeavor to share the concept to a wider audience.
The conference provides a forum to discuss the existing practices in other countries. It hopes to access on the feedback from adoptive families on whether their desires and wishes to adopt children have been well facilitated.
With a positive note, all the stakeholders are commonly committing to contribute for the improvement of the inter-country adoption process in Nepal.

Conference Organizers

	Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW) is the concerned authority to formulate plans and policies for the children. It also represents the state to ratify international conventions and provisions.
	Central Child Welfare Board The Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare that coordinates with civil society, national and international authorities for the full realization of the rights of children as per the United Nation’s Convention on the Rights of Children (CRC).
	Child NGO Federation – Nepal Child NGO Federation Nepal (CNFN) is the umbrella organization of non governmental organizations working for children in Nepal. It does not implement programs on its own but advocates and champions the rights of children.

Conference Co-organizer

Supporters

Conference Organizing Committee

Chairperson
Mrs. Urmila Aryal
H’ble State Minister, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare (MoWCSW)

Vice – Chairperson
Mr. Punya Prasad Neupane
Secretary, MoWCSW

Mr. Upendra Keshari Neupane
Chairperson, Child NGO Federation – Nepal (CNFN)

Members
Mr. Sushil Ghimire
Joint Secretary, MoWCSW

Mr. Binod Bahadur Adhikari
Joint Secretary, Adoption Recommendation Committee, MoWCSW

Mr. Bishwo Prakash Pandit
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home

Representative
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Mr. Basanta Kumar Upadhaya
Under Secretary, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation

Mr. Babu Ram Regmi
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs

Mr. Narayan Prasad Regmi
Joint Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communication

Mr. Ritu Prasad Gartaula
Member Secretary, Social Welfare Council

Mrs. Reeta Singh Baidya
Chairperson, Nepal Children’s Organization

Mr. Sthaneshwor Devkota
Chief District Officer, Kathmandu District

Mr. Ananda Raj Pokharel
Chief District Officer, Lalitpur District

Mr. Babu Ram Lamichhane
Chief District Officer, Bhaktapur District

Mr. Bijaya Sainju
Member, Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB)

Dr. Jyoti Ratna Dhakwa
Member, Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB)

Mrs. Purna Shova Chitrakar
Member, Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB)

Mr. Deepak Raj Sapkota
Executive Director, Central Child Welfare Board (CCWB)

Mr. Basu Dev Uprety
Member Secretary, Adoption Recommendation Committee, MoWCSW

Mrs. Pooja Singh
DySP, Women & Children Cell, Nepal Police

Mr. Tulasi Narayan Shrestha
General Secretary, Nepal Children’s Organization (NCO)

Mr. Bishwo Ram Khadka
Member, Child Rights Watch Group (CRWG), CNFN

Mr. Nripa Bahadur Bista
Coordinator, Adoption Sub Committee, Nepal Children’s Organization (NCO)

Mr. Prachanda Raj Pradhan
Member, Child Rights Watch Group (CRWG), CNFN

Mr. Sanu Prajapati Maharjan
Member, Adoption Watch Group (AWG), CNFN

Mr. Binod Karki
Member, Adoption Watch Group (AWG), CNFN

Mr. Ajay Singh Karki
Member, Adoption Watch Group (AWG), CNFN

Mr. Lila Dhar Bhandary
Member, Adoption Watch Group (AWG), CNFN

Ms. Mani Joshi
Member, Adoption Watch Group (AWG), CNFN

Member Secretary
Mr. Ganesh Bhakta Shrestha
General Secretary, CNFN

Secretariat

1st International Conference on Inter-country Adoption
Child NGO Federation - Nepal (CNFN)
Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu, Nepal
Tel: + 977 1 4238041 / 6211878
Fax: + 977 1 4238041
Email: cnfn@himaltech.com

Participating Countries