Babies For Sale As Commodities In Modern World

 The baby industry, also known known as the adoption industry, refers to the complex network of organizations,  agencies, and individuals involved in the process of creating families through adoption. This hidden and underreported industry has grown from the size of acorn seed to oak tree in modern times, with the rise of international adoption, surrogacy, and assisted or enhanced reproductive technologies. What is baby industry? The term baby industry or baby factory refers to illegal operations where young women are coerced or manipulated into giving birth to children which cannot belong to their birth mothers, but meant for exploitation, trafficking, child labour, and ritual money making etc. The baby industry or baby factory is a highly complex and multifaceted issue that raises important questions about ethics, morality, and the welfare of children. On the one hand, the baby industry candidly provides options for birth mothers, creates families for individuals and couples who have conception challenges, and offers a means of supporting vulnerable women and children. On the other hand, it also risks exploiting these same individuals, commodifying vulnerable children, perpetrating illegal and unethical practices which the global society frowns at. 

One of the most disturbing aspects of the baby industry is the prevalent presence of baby factories-illegal operations where women are coerced (forced or compelled) or manipulated into giving births to children for exploitation, trafficking, or child labour, or money ritual purposes. These operations often target vulnerable women, including young girls who dropped out of schools due to lack of sponsorship, death of parents, caregivers, and guardians, young women living in abject poverty, divorced wives without employments, migrants due to wars or acts of God (natural disasters such as flood, Tsunamis, earthquakes etc), and refugees etc. These women are typically given shelters, promised unrealistic huge financial compensations, medical cares, but are instead subjected to forced labour, physical and emotional abuses, forced sex, and other facets of exploitations. The baby industry encompasses a range of activities, including the following:

1. Adoption agencies:

These agencies facilitate domestic and international adoptions, often working with birth mothers, adoptive parents, and even governments.

2. Surrogacy agencies:

These agencies connect intended parents with surrogate mothers, often in exchange for monetary compensation (A surrogate mother is a woman or man who agrees to born a child for another person for payment). 

3. Fertility clinics: 

These clinics provide assisted reproductive technologies, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), to help individuals and couples to conceive and bear children.

4. Birth mother support services:

These services provide counseling, housing, and other forms of supports to birth mothers considering adoption.

How does the baby industry operate? 

It operates through a complex web of relationships between various stakeholders, including:

1. Birth mothers: 

These are women who choose to born and relinguish their children for adoption or participate in surrogacy arrangement.

2.  Adoptive parents:

These are individuals or couples who seek to adopt children, often working with adoption agencies and attorneys.

3. Adoption agencies:

These are organizations which facilitate adoptions, often providing counseling, home studies, and placement services.

4. Surrogacy agencies:

These are organizations that connect intended parents with surrogate mothers or fathers, often handling logistical and financial arrangements.

5. Government agencies:

These are entities responsible for regulating and overseeing adoption and surrogacy practices, ensuring compliance with law and policies.

It is worthy to mention that not all aspects of the baby industry are exploitative and unethical. There are many organizations and agencies which provide essential support and services to birth mothers, adoptive parents, and vulnerable children. These services may include counseling, medical care, and financial assistance, as well as facilitating adoptions and providing ongoing support to families. In addition, some countries have implemented regulations and laws to protect rights and welfare of children and birth mothers. For example, the Hague Adoption Convention, which has been ratified by 101 countries, establishes guidelines for international adoptions and requires countries to ensure that adoptions are made in the best interests of the child. The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption, drafted on May 24, 1993, and became effective as from May 1, 1995, is an international convention dealing with international adoptions, child laundering, child trafficking, in an effort to protect those involved from the corruption, abuses, and exploitation which sometimes accompanies international adoptions. A part of the Hague Adoption Convention reads,"Recognizing that the child, for the full and harmonious development of his/ her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of love, happiness, and understanding. Each Member-State should take, as a matter of priority, appropriate measures to enable the child to remain in the care of his/ her family of origin...Recognizing that intercountry adoption may offer the advantage of a permanent family to a child for whom a suitable family cannot be found in his/ her own country of origin." The international community has condemned the practice of baby industry and sales of babies in strong terms, citing it a severe violation of human rights, particularly those of women and children. According to reports, these baby factories are notorious for holding young women captive and exploiting them for baby production, with the babies often being sold illegally to adoptive parents or used for child labour, prostitution, or money ritual purposes. Nigeria, for example, has been identified as a busy hub for baby factories, with numerous cases of women being coerced into giving birth to children who are sold to wealthy individuals or couples in Nigeria or abroad. Similarly, most West African out region countries are also involved in baby production and sales. The United Nations estimates that between 750, 000 and 1, 000, 000 children are trafficked yearly in Nigeria alone, with a significant portion of these cases traced to baby factories. International community has urged all nationas and regional Governments to take decisive actions against baby factories, emphasizing the need for stronger laws and enforcements to protect vulnerable women and children. Organizations such as the Alliances for Africa have launched elaborate campaigns aimed at raising awareness about the menace of production and sales of babies like commodities, advocating for protection of vulnerable women's and children's rights and the eradication of baby factories. Past and present Nigerian Governments have taken proactive steps to combat the ascending spate of child production and commodification. The Nigerian Government has signed the Baby Protection Law to prosecute all perpetrators of baby production and sales, and to protect vulnerable women and children. Not only that, Nigeria ratified the Convention on the Rights of Child (CRC) in 1991. The CRC, as its name implies, is an international treaty that sets out the civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights of children. Nigeria went further to domesticate the treaty by enacting the the Child Rights Acts in 2003. This Act provides a framework for the implementation of the CRC in Nigeria, and also ensures that children's rights are protected and promoted, and that they (children) should no longer be sold as commodities. Nigeria's ratification of the CRC undoubtedly demonstrates its commitment to protecting the rights and wellbeing of children in the country, irrespective of their backgrounds. Nigeria has also signed and ratified other international instruments related to child protection, including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and the Optional Protocol on the Sales of Children, Child Prostitution, and Child Pornography. But, unfortunately, the spate of child production and sales are still commonplace and grows geometrically everywhere in Nigeria, and in other West African out-region countries. For example, in 2011, a report by BBC exposed the existence of baby factories in Nigeria, where young women were held captive by daring captors and forced to produce babies for sale. In 2013, the Nigerian Government launched a crackdown on baby factories, arresting and prosecuting several perpetrators of child sales, and at the same time rescuing several hundreds of them from their captivities. In 2015, a report by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) highlighted the issue of baby factories and human trafficking in Nigeria. In 2019, the Nigerian Government signed the Baby Protection Law to prosecute perpetrators of baby production and sales, and to protect women and children. These incidents and reports show that the issue of baby production and commodification has come to stay. It did not start today! It has been going on for decades. Despite the efforts of the International community and national and regional Governments to eradicate it, the baby production and sales industry flourish even the more till today. It remains a complex and opaque issue to tackle indeed. The clear lack of transparency and regulation in some countries creates an environment in which exploitation and unethical practices can thrive. 

Furthermore, the commodification of children for selfish aggrandizement perpetuates a mindset which devalues the dignity and worth of mankind. Unfortunately, baby production, sales, and trafficking are transboundary global issues, and several countries have been implicated in the illegal and faceless activities. Here are some countries where baby production and sales are taking place and have been reported:

* Africa

1. Nigeria: 

Nigeria is known for her baby factories and sales of babies for decades. It is the greatest hub for baby production and sales in the world.

2. Ghana: 

There have been several reports of baby production and sales in Ghana, particularly in Accra, the capital city of Ghana.

3. Ethiopia: 

Ethiopia is active in baby production and sales.

4. South Africa: 

There have been cases of baby production and trafficking in South Africa, particularly in the provinces of Guateng and KwaZulu-Natal.

5. Uganda: 

Uganda is implicated in baby production and sales, with many of the children being stolen from their biological parents and sold to wealthy individuals or couples. 

*Asia

1. India: 

India has a significant problem with baby production and sales, particularly in the States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

2. Thailand: 

Thailand has been identified as a busy hub for baby production and trafficking and sales, with many children being taken from their families and sold to the so-called wealthy individuals and couples. 

3. Cambodia: 

Cambodia is actively involved in baby production and sales.

4. Philippines:

 Philippines is actively involved in baby production and sales, particularly in Manila, the capital city.

Europe:

1. Romania: 

Romania has been identified as an active player in baby production and sales businesses, with many of the children sold to other countries for adoption.

2. Bulgaria: 

Bulgaria has been implicated in baby production and trafficking, with many of the children being stolen from their parents and sold to wealthy individuals and couples for adoption or other purposes.

*North America

1. United States: 

While not as prevalent as in other countries, the United States has been implicated in child trafficking and sales.

2. Mexico: 

Mexico is extremely deep in baby production and sales. It should be second to Nigeria in the world in terms of child production and sales. Many families in Mexico do the business of child trafficking for a living. For example, a Mexican couple was arrested and charged with child trafficking for allegedly selling their own children to another human trafficking lord. This erring and vindictive couple was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment. What on Earth can make a man and his wife to agree on selling their own children? Can you imagine this level of evil? In another case, a Mexican couple in 2019, was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment for trafficking children. The couple was accused of selling the children to adoption agencies (may be an agency not legally recognized by Mexican Government to engage in child adoption). Those adoption agencies buy from Mexican baby dealers and sell to others who in turn sell the children to other countries.

The menace of baby production and sales is better imagined than told. It could be eradicated by:

1. Strengthening regulations, laws, and policies: 

Governments and international organizations should establish and enforce proactive and robust regulations and laws to protect the rights and welfare of vulnerable birth women and children.

2. Increasing transparency and accountability:

The baby industry must prioritize transparency and accountability, ensuring that all transactions and decisions are made in the best interests of the child.

3. Supporting vulnerable women and children:

Organizations and agencies are required to provide essential support and services to vulnerable birth mothers and children, including counseling, medical care, and financial assistance.

4. Promoting ethical adoption practices:

Adoption agencies must receive imprimatur from national Governments in order to engage in child abdoption activities. They should also prioritize ethical practices, ensuring that adoptions are made in the best interests of the child and that of birth mothers. Both child and birth mother should be treated with dignity and respect, and not as commodities bought from the warehouses and supermarkets.

5. Raising awareness and education: 

Governmrnts, organizations, and individuals must raise awareness about the risks and challenges associated with the baby production industry and sales of babies. They should also educate the populace about ethical adoption practices, and the importance of protecting human rights and welfare. 

In summary, the baby industry is a complex issue that requires capacity building and holistic approach to eradicate. In these faceless activities, several houses are built in hideouts and others are located right underground, young women are captured and coerced into giving birth to children which shall be sold out and used for different purposes. Male children are sold for about $600, whilst females are sold for lesser prices. Affluent people pay more for the human commodity. While the baby industry provides essential services and support to couples who want to adopt children, it also risks exploiting vulnerable women and children. To address this evil activities head-on, it is essential to prioritize transparency, regulation, and protection of human rights and welfare. By so doing, we can ensure that the baby industry serves the best interests of children, birth mothers, and adoptive families, rather than perpetuating exploitation and commodification of babies. In Latin language, it is written,"Maledicta lucrativa infantium ("Cursed be the profitable trade of children."

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