7 Dec, 2015
“No Maternity Traffic” calls on action Wednesday 9 December to defend the rights of women and children !
Italy, sentenced by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) for a case involving surrogacy (the case of Paradiso and Campanelli) is appealing the decision: the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights will examine “on appeal” this case on Wednesday the 9 December 2015.
In January, the ECLJ sentenced Italy for taking a child from the couple Paradiso-Campanelli, because the couple bought the child from a Russian company that specialises in surrogacy. The child, who was sold for 49 000 euros and who was produced on request by in-vitro fertilisation, had no biological link with the recipient couple. On the 1st of June 2015 the judges of the ECLJ accepted to send the case before the Grand Chamber following the request of the Italian Government.
No Maternity Traffic calls for a rally on Wednesday 9 December at 8:15am in front of the ECLJ to tell the Court that surrogacy violates the rights of children and women, and that it goes against “human rights”.
The Court will have to make its decision in a couple of months.
Protest and media briefing : Wednesday 9 December June at 8:15am in Strasbourg, in front of the ECLJ Avenue of Human Rights, Tram B stop “Droits de l’homme”
European citizens are invited to come in their masses to sign the petition demanding the abolition of surrogacy in Europe .
23 Nov, 2015
On Monday, November 23rd, the Committee on Social Affairs of the Council of Europe, meeting in Paris, decided to postpone sine die the examination of the draft resolution on surrogacy, due to a potential breach of the rules of the Parliamentary Assembly.
The issue is the choice of the rapporteur for the draft, the Belgian Senator Petra De Sutter, who in her professional activity practices surrogacy. However, the Code of Conduct for Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly expressly prohibits the rapporteurs to have a professional “interest connected with the subject of the report” (art. 1.1.1.).
The Committee on Social Affairs has decided to investigate this situation before deciding whether to “withdraw (…) her mandate and replace (…) her” or not, as set forth in the Code of Conduct.
No maternity traffic is satisfied with this decision and hopes that the future discussion on this draft resolution will take place in better conditions “of neutrality, impartiality and objectivity“, in accordance with the Code of Conduct, and as deserves such a serious topic.
No Maternity Traffic recalls that surrogacy is a form of human trafficking, which involves the exploitation of the female body and the commodification of children. The only human policy is to seek effectively prohibiting the practice while resolving, case by case, the existing situations.
Last week No Maternity Traffic sent a letter and a written contribution to all the members of the Committee on Social Affairs to inform them of the Petition which already gathered more than 100,000 signatures.
19 Nov, 2015
PRESS RELEASE
No Maternity Traffic Denounces an Attempt to Impose the Liberalization of Surrogacy in Europe
On Monday, November 23rd, the Council of Europe’s Social Affairs Committee will meet in Paris to discuss and vote a draft Resolution on Surrogacy drafted by Belgian Senator Petra De Sutter. No Maternity Traffic is concerned about the content of the text that would accept the practice of surrogacy and would make recommendations for that purpose. While pretending to “regulate” surrogacy, such a Resolution would accept the principle of it.
No Maternity Traffic denounces the fact that no association specialized in the field of women’s rights or children’s rights, nor any citizen movement were consulted.
No Maternity Traffic is concerned that the drafting of the Resolution was entrusted to an activist in favor of surrogacy. Indeed, as a gynecologist specialist in reproductive medicine, Petra De Sutter performs surrogacy, thanks to the vagueness of the Belgian law. Moreover, she helps to circumvent the laws banning surrogacy in Europe by having customers, from France and other countries that forbid this practice.
The Resolution – whose content is still confidential – should be subject to a final vote at the Plenary Assembly in the beginning of January 2016, in Strasbourg.
This Resolution will have a substantial influence on the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights and the ongoing work of the Hague Conference.
No Maternity Traffic calls on the Council of Europe to strongly oppose this new attempt to liberalize surrogacy in Europe.
No Maternity Traffic reminds that Surrogacy is a shameful practice of human trafficking, for it involves the exploitation of women’s bodies and the commodification of children. The only human policy is to ban effectively such a practice while dealing case-by-case with existing situations.
No Maternity Traffic sent a report to all the members of the Commission of Social Affairs of the Council of Europe. No Maternity Traffic launched a petition gathering already 95,000 European citizens and asking the Council of Europe to prohibit surrogacy.
12 Nov, 2015
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will vote on a draft report and Resolution on Surrogacy and its ethical implications in 2016.
Belgian MP, Petra de Sutter, who has been appointed Rapporteur for the Committee on Social Affairs, Health and Sustainable Development must present a draft report on November 23rd in Paris.
Petra de Sutter openly supports a framed legalization of surrogacy while most of the 47 countries of the Council of Europe prohibit the practice.
No Maternity Traffic calls on deputies of the Council of Europe to demand the prohibition of Surrogacy.
Document : Surrogate Motherhood and Human Rights, analysis of Human, Legal and Ethical Issues
