Baby Surrogacy – or SLAVE Market?

The United Nations has issued a stark warning that global surrogacy practices resemble modern slavery, urging governments to adopt stricter regulations or outright bans.

At a Glance

A UN report labels international surrogacy as a form of exploitation comparable to slavery.
Consent is deemed insufficient to safeguard women and children from abuse.
Surrogacy hotspots include Mexico, Georgia, and Kenya due to weak oversight.
The industry is projected to grow to $129 billion by 2032.
Experts remain divided between outright bans and stricter regulation.

UN Report Challenges Global Surrogacy Practices

A recent report from Reem Alsalem, the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, warned that the global surrogacy industry perpetuates systemic exploitation. The report emphasized that even when women consent, economic inequality, coercion, and inadequate legal safeguards make the practice “slavery-like.” Human rights advocates argue that the industry commodifies women’s bodies and children, with surrogacy agencies often targeting vulnerable women in countries with limited legal protections.

Jennifer Lahl, founder of the Center for Bioethics and Culture, echoed the UN’s findings, describing surrogacy as a practice that routinely preys on women with few alternatives. According to the report, the combination of power imbalances, financial desperation, and weak regulation creates conditions where abuse flourishes unchecked.

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Historical Context and Legal Reforms

Surrogacy first gained traction in the late 20th century as a solution to infertility but quickly evolved into a global commercial enterprise. In 1997, Mexico legalized surrogacy in the state of Tabasco, which became a major hub for international surrogacy until 2016 reforms curtailed abuses. Other countries, including Georgia and Kenya, have also served as centers due to permissive laws and economic disparities.

Research by Dr. Olga van den Akker, Professor of Health Psychology at Middlesex University, shows that these hubs developed as foreign demand increased, particularly from wealthier couples in Europe and North America. Despite piecemeal reforms, surrogacy networks remain difficult to regulate, and authorities continue to uncover exploitation. In 2023, Greek officials dismantled a surrogacy trafficking network, highlighting the persistence of abuse despite stricter oversight in some jurisdictions.

Diverse Opinions on Surrogacy Regulation

Experts disagree on the path forward. Dr. Renate Klein, a longtime critic of reproductive technologies, calls for a global ban, arguing that commercial surrogacy inherently commodifies human life. By contrast, Dr. Amrita Pande, a sociologist at the University of Cape Town, supports stronger domestic regulations and cross-border agreements to balance reproductive rights with protections against abuse.

Advocacy groups stress that women and children remain the most vulnerable in the current system. Calls for international standards are intensifying, with pressure mounting on governments and multilateral institutions to create binding frameworks that prevent exploitation. While some argue that surrogacy can exist ethically under robust safeguards, the UN report leaves little doubt that without decisive action, systemic abuses will persist.