DW | July 30, 2026
Surrogacy laws and regulations differ across Africa and are in varied stages of development. South Africa has an established framework to regulate surrogacy and only allows non-compensated arrangements. Ongoing questions in surrogacy arrangements in Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, and Uganda are motivating consideration of more specific laws that address the rights and interests of surrogates, intended parents, and the children born from surrogacy arrangements.
Tuko | July 28, 2026
A superior court in South Africa ruled in favor of a polygamous family, which had asked the court to allow a surrogacy arrangement in which the second wife in the family would carry a child on behalf of the first wife, who is unable to bear children. The case impacts South African family law by demonstrating that polygamous households can legally access surrogacy.
Luxembourg Times | July 24, 2026
Surrogacy is not regulated in Luxembourg – it’s neither banned nor clearly legal. A draft 2013 bill that would have reformed parentage law in the country has not progressed. But recent debate over surrogacy in nearby Germany has made legislators in Luxembourg more interested in returning to issues of surrogacy regulation. Some LGBTQ+ rights groups are advocating for legalizing non-compensated surrogacy arrangements; other political groups believe the focus should be on regulation across countries in Europe.
The Guardian | July 21, 2026
As demand for surrogacy grows in the UK, the limitations of the country’s parentage laws and regulatory policies are coming under renewed examination. Policy recommendations, which advised more oversight of surrogacy agencies and legal recognition of intended parents when the child is born, formed part of a draft bill. However, the draft legislation has not progressed. In the meantime, difficulties with domestic and international surrogacy persist, as do varied calls for reforms of – or a ban on – the practice in the UK.
The Guardian | July 19, 2026
Transnational surrogacy arrangements are on the rise, but the increase also brings a rise in the number of children at risk of being “stateless.” Countries have different approaches to regulating surrogacy and parental recognition of children born from foreign surrogacy arrangements, and nations disagree about whether to ban or regulate surrogacy–both leaving an absence of global agreement on how to address surrogacy and the risks of statelessness.
The Guardian | July 19, 2026
Couples interested in surrogacy are increasingly choosing arrangements in Mexico, where surrogacy is largely unregulated and more affordable than surrogacy in the U.S. Feminist groups in Mexico raise concerns about exploitation of surrogates due to the lack of regulation, but they disagree about whether the practice should be banned or regulated.
The New York Times | July 18, 2026
After it was revealed that Jens Spahn, a high-level German government official, and his husband had a child via surrogacy in the United States, Spahn resigned. He had previously defended Germany’s ban on surrogacy – a policy that is now being debated in light of Spahn’s conduct.
The Guardian | July 17, 2026
Australia’s Law Reform Commission is considering how to reform surrogacy regulations, with individuals and groups weighing in from a variety of perspectives. Some emphasize the difficulties of going abroad for compensated surrogacy arrangements, which are banned in Australia. Others advocate for a total ban on surrogacy, including non-compensated surrogacy arrangements, which are currently allowed in the country.
Taipei Times | July 17, 2026
Legislators in Taiwan have separated proposed legislation on surrogacy from a broader bill on reproduction because surrogacy has attracted more controversy and debate. The remaining parts of the bill would expand access to IVF for single women, same-sex female couples, and infertile couples. The Taiwan People’s Party caucus protested the decoupling.
South China Morning Post | July 11, 2026
Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia have all banned compensated surrogacy for foreign intended parents in response to exploitation in the industry. As a result of the bans, intended parents from China–where domestic surrogacy is not allowed–are seeking surrogacy arrangements in countries such as Georgia and Armenia–where surrogacy remains legal–or in underground networks that span several countries to evade authorities. China does grant citizenship to children born via surrogacy in other countries – an important factor that maintains demand within the “shadow economy” of surrogacy in Asia. Based on concerns about the inability of the existing ban to address exploitation in Thailand, Thai officials are considering policy reforms.
