Human rights concerns about surrogacy were aired at a special meeting at the European Parliament last week.
Speakers included the UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women and Girls, a former EU Commissioner, an Italian government minister and representatives of civil society organisations.
The event follows a recent EU resolution condemning surrogacy and comes on the heels of a landmark United Nations report, calling for the global abolition of the practice.
Human Rights’ lawyer, Carmen Correas of ADF International, said: “Surrogacy treats women and children as commodities. The European Union has taken an important step in acknowledging its inherent harms. We urge policymakers to move swiftly toward a clear, coordinated legal prohibition that protects the dignity and rights of all involved.”
Italian MEP, Paolo Inselvini, said: “Today it became clear that a determined European front exists, committed to stopping reproductive exploitation across the globe. We will therefore continue to fight so that Europe abandons all ambiguity and assumes a clear responsibility: surrogacy must be a universal crime.”