Waqanika: Review Adoption Bill provisions

Lawyer Tanya Waqanika wants a review of the Adoption Bill provisions.

Ms Waqanika was making her submission to the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights on the Adoption Bill, Bill No 32 of 2018 yes­terday.

She gave an instance where a couple, whom she knows, did not qualify to adopt a child because they had not been married for two years.

She said the Adoption Bill has to be reviewed be­cause cases as such will happen in the future.

“I have a case where the couple have been together for three years as de facto partners and have been married for one year,” she said.

Ms Waqanika said they were foster parents and the couple had the child and the child was looked after very well.

“I asked the committee if they can consider couples as such because they have been together for three years, they have properties together, they bank to­gether. They should be eligible to adopt,” she said.

“We have to look at the best interest of the child.”

Ms Waqanika said she has handled three single adoption cases and a couple case.

“We do not have enough resources and if we will put in all the measures for adoption, by the time the processes are coming through, they will live a child behind with who they formed a bond,” she said.

Edited by Susana Tuilau

Feedback: swashna.chand@fijisun.com.fj