Surrogate Motherhood: Ethical or Commercial?
by Centre for Social Research | India | 2013
To address issues relating to surrogacy, the Centre for Social Research conducted an exploratory study on surrogacy in three high-prevalence areas: Anand, Surat and Jamnagar of Gujarat state.
The objectives of the study were to:
- Conduct a situational analysis of surrogacy cases in the three study areas and the issues
involved - Examine the existing social and health protection rights ensured to the surrogate mother
- Analyze the rights of the child in surrogacy arrangements
- Study the rights and issues pertaining to commissioning parents
- Suggest policy recommendations for protection of rights through legal provisions of surrogate mother, child and the commissioning parents based on the study
This article challenges “leftists” (individuals with liberal or progressive political and social views) to oppose commercial surrogacy, arguing that the practice flies in the face of two of their most enduring principles: autonomy and equality. It draws a parallel between a sweatshop worker and a gestational mother, both of whom sign contracts out of “economic desperation.” It suggests that such contracts would be deemed “immoral” by “progressives” and, for equality to exist, it is the government’s role (and not that of the contracting parties) to ensure agreements are unenforceable.
Sama is a Delhi-based organization working on issues of women’s health and human rights. A key focus is assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) and international commercial surrogacy.
