Pope Francis, in his New Year address at the Vatican, urged for a worldwide ban on surrogacy, denouncing it as “despicable” due to its commercialization of childbirth. The Pope expressed his concern about exploiting poor fertile women, stripping them of dignity, and violating both the woman and child’s dignity.

During the address, Pope Francis emphasized that surrogacy is a grave violation based on the exploitation of maternal material needs. He pleaded for a global prohibition, asserting that children are gifts and should never be treated as commodities in business transactions.

“The path to peace calls for respect for life,” reiterated the Catholic leader, highlighting the need to protect the sanctity of life.

Pope Francis called for international efforts to universally prohibit the practice of surrogacy, stating that it poses a threat to international peace. He firmly stated that children should be considered gifts, not products of commercial contracts.

While Italy and the majority of European countries have already outlawed surrogacy, countries like Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine continue to permit surrogacy with compensation for surrogate mothers. The UK and the Netherlands allow surrogacy under strict guidelines, catering to same-sex couples and women who, for various reasons, cannot carry pregnancies.

In his plea for a global ban, the Pope highlighted the importance of preserving the sacred nature of bringing life into the world, emphasizing the ethical implications of surrogacy.

Pope Francis’ call aligns with his vision of promoting respect for life and underscores the significance of preventing the commercialization of childbirth on an international scale.