IFSW condemns the actions of the Australian couple who abandoned Gammy, the twin born through an international surrogacy arrangement in Thailand. It calls on the international community to address the rights of the children born through these arrangements in line with their obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The actions taken by the couple suggest that they have scant regard for the full emotional, physical and developmental needs of a child and by their actions they have stated that their own needs are paramount. This must question their suitability to parent any child.
For Mr Abbott, Prime Minister of Australia to say:
“I guess it illustrates some of the pitfalls involved in this particular business.
“It’s a very, very, sad story and I hate to think that, you know, a child could be abandoned like that.”
fails to recognise the seriousness of the violation of the children’s rights and the responsibility politicians now have to accept to take action against this increasing trade in the lives of children who are being exploited for adults gain.
IFSW calls upon its members to work nationally, regionally and globally to ensure that the UNCRC is implemented to ensure other children like Gammy and his sister are treated with the full dignity and respect that governments around the world have committed themselves to honour.
BACKGROUND
IFSW Human Rights Commission has been working on the agreed policy accepted by the General Meeting in 2008 and in December 2013 called on members to share their knowledge of the extent of international surrogacy as they encountered it in their daily work. BASW recently published an article in PSW that joined with others campaigning for a change in international law