Rome International conference for the universal abolition of surrogacy. Rome - Italy 5th to 6th of April 2024

While few countries in the world have legalised surrogacy, all are concerned because vulnerable women are asked to be surrogate mothers or because their nationals travel abroad to have a child through surrogacy. Surrogacy is a global and a very lucrative market that violates human rights and human dignity: every country has to work to abolish it. Faced with this global challenge, the Casablanca Declaration for the universal abolition of surrogacy, promoted by experts from all around the world, calls on governments to move beyond resignation and condemn surrogacy and take concrete measures to put an end to this trade. The Declaration proposes that States commit to an international Convention to promote a global context of refusal of surrogacy, likely to draw many countries into this virtuous wake. Italy, with the adoption of a law criminalising the use of surrogacy, including outside Italian territory, is showing other countries the way and could play a role on the international stage with a view to an international convention for the global prohibition of surrogacy. This is why the International Conference for the Universal Abolition of surrogacy was held in Rome on 5 and 6 April 2024. Specialists from 5 continents contributed their expertise with a dual objective: 1) to inform public decision-makers about the harmful effects of surrogacy; 2) to provide a legal toolbox for States wishing to defend their populations against this market. The International Conference of Rome 2024 is already a decisive step in supporting and encouraging national and international initiatives, with a view to adopting an international treaty for the abolition of surrogacy.