VZCZCXRO6813
OO RUEHCI
DE RUEHKT #0485/01 0651125
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 061125Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5179
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 5463
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 0125
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 5769
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0969
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 3779
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5093
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 1106
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0123
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 3227
RHMFISS/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000485 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SCA/INS 
STATE FOR CA/VO/L/A: SUMBER, JNYSTROM; CI: MSAINT VICTOR, 
CLAMORA; CA/FPP: DKENDRICK 
NEW DELHI PLEASE PASS TO DHS/USCIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2017 
TAGS: PGOV CVIS CASC KFRD KOCI NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MINISTER FOR WOMEN AGREES ADOPTION REFORM 
REQUIRED 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 342 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty.  Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1. (C) On March 5, the Ambassador identified three areas in 
which Nepal's adoption process required reform to Urmila 
Aryal, Minister for Women and Children.  Aryal stressed that 
she would continue to push policy makers for change in 
Nepal's adoption system.  Aryal cited the Ministry's 
accomplishments over the past year, including a Trafficking 
Bill currently in the Interim Parliament and her work on 
quotas for women in the government. 
 
Reform Needed, Obstacles Remain 
------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) In a March 5 meeting with Minister of Women, Children, 
and Social Welfare Urmila Aryal, the Ambassador highlighted 
the positive aspects of international adoptions for Nepali 
children, adoptive American parents, and bilateral relations. 
 He stressed, however, that the adoption system in Nepal 
needed reform.  Citing the recent French Government decision 
to stop all Nepali adoptions and an upcoming review by the 
German Government, he told Aryal three major issues needed to 
be addressed.  First, Nepal needed to establish a central 
adoption authority with sufficient expertise to handle the 
adoption workload.  Second, while legislative reforms would 
be ideal, Nepal needed to enforce the laws already on the 
books.  Third, Nepal needed to establish standardized 
requirements, processing procedures and fees for 
international adoptions.  The Ambassador also urged the 
Ministry and the Government of Nepal (GON) to sign and ratify 
the Hague Convention on International Adoptions.  Minister 
Aryal replied that her review of adoption procedures and her 
recent trip to France had revealed some areas for 
improvement.  She was hopeful that she could push through a 
new Child Rights Act and new terms and conditions for 
international adoptions after the adoptions conference in 
Kathmandu and once the Interim Parliament was back in session 
(reftel). 
 
New Trafficking Bill Soon? 
-------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) Aryal expected that, after months of lobbying, the 
Trafficking Bill, currently under review by the Interim 
Parliament, would be re-tabled in committee and pass, perhaps 
even within the month.  She admitted that she was unaware of 
the extent of the trafficking problem or the network of 
people involved in trafficking when she first took office. 
Proud of her Ministry's efforts, Aryal continued that there 
were many more issues to address, but the trafficking bill 
and the Gender Equality Act were a good start.  She lamented 
that funds were limited, but hoped that she had convinced the 
Finance Minister to provide additional funds for next fiscal 
year's budget.  The Ministry currently had programs in just 
under half of Nepal's Village Development Committees (VDCs), 
and hoped to expand their reach over the next two to three 
years. 
 
Quotas For Women 
---------------- 
 
¶4. (C) Commenting on a trip to India and a review of the 
reservations system in place there for women, Aryal stated 
that the 33 percent quota for women was required in Nepal to 
remedy the under-representation of women in government and 
other sectors such as the police and army.  She lamented that 
it was very difficult to coordinate with other ministries, 
and even within her own political party, to push for the 
rights of women.  Aryal stated that the female members of the 
 
KATHMANDU 00000485  002 OF 002 
 
 
Interim Parliament had not shown a great deal of interest in 
a women's caucus, and that her Ministry was limited in its 
role.  She agreed with the Ambassador that women at the 
district level seemed more willing to work together on 
issues, while higher ranking women in urban centers seemed 
resistant to change. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶5. (C) Aryal's recognition that Nepal's international 
adoption process requires reform is positive, and the 
Minister seems committed to change.  However, it is unclear 
whether she will retain her cabinet position when the Maoists 
join the Interim Government or whether the GON will be able 
to focus on adoptions.  Addressing the Ambassador's three 
main concerns would go a long way in correcting some of the 
flaws in Nepal's international adoption process. 
MORIARTY