A group of lawyers, doctors, psychologists, and others from five continents gathered in Casablanca, Morocco, on March 3 to call for the repeal of all laws allowing or tolerating surrogacy around the world.
The group released a signed document titled “International Declaration for the Universal Abolition of Surrogacy,” which aims to raise global awareness of what the group considers to be a practice that violates human dignity. Along with the statement, a proposal for an international convention was made available to all organizations and governments that wish to ratify it.
“We call on [countries] to condemn surrogacy in all modalities and kinds, whether remunerated or not, and the implementation of measures to fight such practice,” the signatories, who represent more than 70 countries, wrote in their “Casablanca Declaration,” at the same time maintaining to be “aware of the suffering of people who may not conceive” and of the “appeal of reproductive technologies.”
To date, no binding text has been adopted on the issue at the international level. Although the practice is currently authorized in a limited number of countries (some American states, Canada, the U.K., Ukraine, Russia, the Netherlands, Denmark, Greece, and India), many countries maintain a legal vagueness on the issue, especially concerning the recognition of children born by surrogate motherhood abroad. It has the effect of considerably expanding the boundaries of the practice.
Aude Mirkovic, senior lecturer in law and one of the main organizers and coordinator of the initiative, told CNA that one major issue facing countries where surrogacy is still illegal is that foreign commercial companies are given an avenue to come and recruit potential clients.
Indeed, the recommendations contained in the convention proposal are limited to five: “prohibit the practice of surrogacy on their territory; deny any legal validity to contracts bearing the undertaking from a woman to carry and deliver a child; punish the individuals and corporations acting as intermediaries between the surrogacy mothers and the orderers; prosecute the individuals entering into surrogacy on their territory; prosecute their nationals entering into surrogacy outside their territory.”
“The feeling that unites us all is the determination not to stand by and watch this human commodification, this modern slavery, develop,” Mirkovic concluded. “Slavery would never have been abolished if our ancestors had been as individualistic as the present generation is. But human dignity must be defended at all times and in all places, and everyone has a part to play.”
Full story at Catholic News Agency.
Surrogacy is a form of human trafficking.
https://lozierinstitute.org/surrogacy-the-commodification-of-motherhood-and-human-life/
Pope Francis has spoken out against surrogacy as “womb renting.” I follow the Pope!
I follow Christ and those to whom He has granted authority; bishops (successors to the Apostles) and in a special way to the bishop of Rome, the Pope, who has primacy and has been Divinely tasked to keep the Church together. Jesus said to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have been converted, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22:31–32) Let us pray for the Pope, all bishops and all.
In some case, this can be considered a form of prostitution. It is not virtuous for a woman to receive the sperm of a man other than her husband to produce a child for money. This procedure is wrong in more ways than one.
That is traditional surrogacy, but most are now IVF where an embryo is implanted in the surrogate.
That is why I wrote “In some case”, which was a typo as I meant to write “In some cases”. Also, some of these women are more innocent than others, but that is for God to judge. The Lord’s prayer does say “lead us not into temptation”, and St. Paul said that God would give us a way out of a sinful situation if we ask him, and that has been the case for many women, including myself, but some women choose the wrong direction for the money. The proper solution is to ask God for a better way to support oneself or family. We need to help such women, not take advantage of them.
In America, it is considered an act of selflessness and charity to bear a child for a couple who cannot have children or for a woman who cannot carry a pregnancy to term.
Not so. Many Americans do not agree with you. Renting someone else’s body for your own selfish purposes is not charity. Would be better to adopt or help children who are already born. Many women, including myself, had difficulties in getting pregnant but would never have considered “renting a woman”.
While the Catholic Church teaches that gestational surrogacy (and traditional surrogacy) are gravely immoral, very few other religions do. 71% of Americans approve of it.
I will always stand with the Church but it is another area where we are countercultural.
This is clearly an instance where the
Do-it-yourself approach is best