A growing number of unmarried locals and DINKS (double income no kids)have began to adopt children.They are mainly female white-collar employees with high incomes,according to several district-level civil affairs bureaus,the Shanghai Morning Post reported today.

According to the adoption registration records in Putuo District last year,the unmarried group accounted for 13.6percent and DINK families 4.5percent.

"Over the past couple of years,divorced locals accounted for a majority of the adopting parents but the number of singles and DINKS have soared since the end of last year,mainly females with high education and income,"said Huang Jingying,spokesman with the marriage department of the Putuo Civil Affairs Bureau.

Zhang,in her thirties,a local white-collar employee with more than 7,000yuan (US$843)in monthly salary,adopted a girl this year,and signed an agreement with the local family planning commission,promising not to bear children in the future.

"I adopted a child as I dare not bear children for fear of losing my job,"Zhang said.

Wang,himself from a DINK family,adopted a child this year,as he wanted to enjoy the feeling of being a father.

"It is usually hard for a female white-collar employee to keep her bowl once she gives birth to a baby,"said Prof.Sun Zhongxin with the sociology department of the Fudan University.

There are many laws to protect women's rights when they bearing children in developed countries,especially in North European nations,with women keeping their jobs after child-bearing and men having days off to care for their wives,?Sun said.Such laws in China are still not perfect enough,so many females have to keep their careers at the cost of bearing children,"he added.

(eastday.com   September 12, 2003)