International Union for the Abolition of Surrogacy

8 Feb, 2015

Because human beings are not objects, because they are neither to give, to rent nor for sale, the petition “No Maternity Traffic” is asking the Council of Europe to commit for an effective prohibition of surrogacy.

Citizens of the 47 member States of the Council of Europe are invited to support this petition with their signature on the website: www.nomaternitytraffic.eu from this day, 25th anniversary of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. This petition will be over on March 8th, 2015, International Women’s Day, to be given to the Council of Europe.

Surrogacy is exploitation of women, children are goods bough to be conceived and abandon by their mother. It bursts their parentage. It is a form of human trafficking.
Surrogacy violates European and International law, in particular the conventions on the rights of the child (1989), on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women (1979), on the adoption of children (1967 and 1993), on human trafficking (2005) and on human rights and biomedicine (1997).
This is why “No Maternity Traffic” demand:

  • The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in accordance with Article 65 of its Rules of Procedure, to clearly condemn any practice of surrogacy itself as contrary to the rights and dignity of persons;
  • The Governments to initiate the drafting of a text expressly prohibiting any form of surrogacy in Europe;
  • The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to be the guarantor of women and children’s rights and to condemn the practice of surrogacy as contrary to human rights.

“No Maternity Traffic” stresses that the defense of human rights must adapt to new threats on humans. Europe must set an example for the universal abolition of the surrogacy.
Women and children are not objects!
National and European associations working for the rights of women, children, for dignity and human rights, are supporting and promoting “No Maternity Traffic” in their countries, including: l’Agence Européenne des Adoptés, l’Appel des Professionnels de l’Enfance, Alliance VITA, Care for Europe, European Center for Law & Justice, FAFCE, Fondazione Novae Terrae, European Dignity Watch, La Manif Pour Tous…

Why act with the Council of Europe?

8 Feb, 2015

  • The Parliamentary Assembly is starting to debate surrogacy. This petition will be officially presented to the President of the Assembly and will play a decisive role in the discussions.
  • The European Court will rule on several cases involving surrogacy in the coming months.
  • The Committee of Ministers has the authority to undertake negotiations on a new European convention or an additional protocol to an existing convention to condemn this practice effectively.

The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, has 47 European member states, many of which tolerate or accept surrogacy. Its mission is to safeguard democracy, the rule of law and human rights in Europe. It is composed of three principal institutions: the “Committee of Ministers”, at the heart of which governments negotiate treaties; the “Parliamentary Assembly” which adopts political texts, and the “European Court of Human Rights”, which monitors compliance by States of the European Convention on Human Rights.