Spain's Bioethics Committee calls for a worldwide ban on surrogacy - the EU Commission should follow suit
EU Commission: Follow Spain's lead and call for a ban on surrogacy
EU Commission: Follow Spain's lead and call for a ban on surrogacy
A "surrogate" is defined as a "substitute, especially a person deputizing for another in a specific role." In the context of modern bioethics, then, "surrogacy" is a situation where a woman agrees to carry a baby for another person or persons, who will become that child's parent after birth.
And, today, because of a variety of issues - some natural, like, for example, fertility problems in more and more families...and, some unnatural, like, for example, homosexual couples seeking biological children of their own - surrogacy is becoming a massive industry.
Estimates suggest that upwards of 20,000 children are born to surrogate mothers every year. And, the price tag can be staggering, as the process can cost anywhere from €24,000 in India and €60,000 in Russia, to nearly €120,000 in the US. Worldwide, the surrogacy industry rakes in tens of billions of Euro every year.
And, a full 98% of the cases are done in commercial - for profit - settings...meaning that only 2% of cases are offered freely, for altruistic motives.
Thus, in the vast, vast majority of cases, it is poor women, in developing countries, who, because of financial necessity, believe they have no other option but to "rent" their wombs to wealthy, but childless, couples from the developed world.
Now, as surrogacy (and, what it actually entails) becomes better understood, there has been a growing realisation that it is, in fact, a form of exploitation of women - dressed-up as an altruistic commercial enterprise. Moreover, there is also the concomitant realisation, that surrogacy is also a form of exploitation and commodification of children.
And, NGOs, such as #StopSurrogacyNow, have even been established for the express purpose of stopping the spread of the practice of surrogacy.
As #StopSurrogacyNow states: "A surrogate pregnancy intentionally severs the natural maternal bonding that takes places in pregnancy—a bond that medical professionals consistently encourage and promote...In places where surrogacy is legalised, this potential harm is institutionalised."
All of these realisations have caused governments around the world to investigate surrogacy more closely, so as to give legal formation to their findings.
And, precisely in this regard, the Spanish Government's Bioethics Committee recently released a report on the impact of surrogacy on society, and its recommendations on the same (please see the report, below).
Though surrogacy is illegal in Spain, the scope of the Committee's recommendations was, nevertheless, very broad: the Committee effectively called for a worldwide ban on the procedure!
In the Conclusion Section to their report, the Committee gives the following reasons for their judgement:
"Throughout this report we have seen that there are strong reasons for rejecting maternal surrogacy. The desire of a person to have a child, no matter how noble, cannot be done at the expense of the rights of other people. The majority of the Committee understands that any gestation contract, by substitution [i.e., by surrogacy], entails the exploitation of women and harm to the best interests of the child, and, therefore, cannot be accepted in principle."
We applaud the Spanish Bioethics Committee for reaching this logical and just decision, and, with this petition, we are asking the EU Commission to follow Spain's lead and call for a worldwide ban on surrogacy.
It is only by a worldwide ban that so-called "surrogacy tourism" can be halted - and, thereby, the further exploitation of women and children.
Thank you for signing!
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Spanish Bioethics Committee Report on Surrogacy (in Spanish): http://assets.comitedebioetica.es/files/documentacion/es/informe_comite_bioetica_aspectos_eticos_juridicos_maternidad_subrogada.pdf
Resources from #StopSurrogacyNow: http://www.stopsurrogacynow.com/#sthash.uBiNKP1B.dpbs
Story on Surrogacy in Spain: http://elpais.com/elpais/2017/02/21/inenglish/1487696447_837759.html
Story on Surrogacy in Laos: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-laos-surrogacy-idUSKBN18Y39R
Sign this petition now!
EU Commission: Follow Spain's lead and call for a ban on surrogacy
For the Kind Attention of:
- EU Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality - Ms Věra Jourová
Surrogacy is a modern phenomenon which has been brought about, in large measure, by the coincidence of the rise in infertility among those of childbearing age and the necessary technology which allows for artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation.
In fact, as regards surrogacy, secular ethical consideration is only just now catching up to the technology.
And, the verdict is...
The Spanish Government's Bioethics Committee has just released a report which states that surrogacy is a form of exploitation of both women and children. In the first instance, surrogacy is a risky procedure which takes advantage of poorer women who feel obliged to offer their bodies for the service, so as make ends meet. And, in the second instance, surrogacy commodifies children and sacrifices their best interests on the altar of an adult's desire for a child.
You see, surrogacy severs the child-mother bond at one of the most fragile stages of a person's development, and, thus, has lasting repercussions, experienced by both child and mother.
The only way to ensure that all women and all children are treated with dignity is to call for a worldwide ban...which is precisely what the Spanish Bioethics Committee did.
We, the undersigned, agree with this approach, as this is the only way to ensure that so-called "surrogacy tourism" is halted in places like India, Russia, and Greece.
Therefore, we are asking the EU Commission to follow Spain's lead in this matter, and call a halt to all forms of surrogacy, both in the EU and, also, around the world.
Thank you for your serious consideration.
