By taking an institutional position (downloadable here), the organisation wishes to draw the attention of the public as well as professionals about the risks of this particular mode of reproduction, which currently operates without any regulation.
Furthermore ISS believes that addressing the myriad of questions and concerns raised by the practice of international surrogacy is a matter of great urgency and calls for, among other possible actions the following initial steps:
- Explore and document existing good practices
- Study current practices and trends, including domestic laws, economic impact, a geography of actors, exploitation of women and protection of children, the bonding of the surrogate parent/s with the child and special situations such as those of disabled children so seriously disabled that they have little life expectancy.
- Address the concerns of donor conceived persons, and anonymous sperm, egg and embryo donations.
- Address the citizenship of the donor conceived, or surrogate born children.
- Create a network wide campaign to advocate in favor of a new General Comment on surrogacy by the UN CRC and a Hague Convention on international surrogacy and donor conceived children,
- Convene international conferences, gathering State representatives to reach an agreement on the necessity to regulate surrogacy at the international level;
While keeping the best interest of the child as the driving force for all actions it takes, ISS intends in the very near future to work on the following areas related to surrogacy:
- Utilize the ISS network to be the voice of children born through all forms of artificial reproduction in order to preserve the best interest of those children.
- Continue to work for the best individual solution for each individual child in his best interest and in the best interest of the involved adults, especially the surrogate mother through casework mandated by national public authorities.
- Develop and disseminate a special training program for its casework professionals
- Share individual casework experience within the ISS network and with relevant external stakeholders with a view to regulate this field in the best interest of the child.
- Develop an advocacy campaign that will be developed within the frame of calling for a General Comment on surrogacy by the UN CRC and the need for a new Hague convention on surrogacy
Source: http://www.iss-ssi.org/2009/index.php?id=204
Contact Information:
ISS GENERAL SECRETARIAT
32, Quai du Seujet1201 Genève
Switzerland
- Tel: (+41 22) 906 77 00
- Fax: (+41 22) 906 77 01
- General e-mail: info[at]iss-ssi.org
- E-mail International Reference Centre: irc-cir[at]iss-ssi.org
- Website: www.iss-ssi.org