Italy don pass new law wey ban couples from go abroad to seek surrogacy. Dis law, wey be championed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her far-right Brothers of Italy party, make am a crime for Italians to pursue surrogacy in countries where e dey legal, like United States or Canada.
The Senate vote 84 to 58 to pass the bill, which extend the existing ban on surrogacy in Italy since 2004 to include those who go abroad. Anyone wey violate dis law fit face jail term of up to two years and fine of up to one million euros ($1.1 million).
Supporters of the law, including Families Minister Eugenia Roccella, say it protect women’s dignity and prevent the commodification of children. However, critics, including LGBTQ activists and opposition lawmakers, condemn the law as “medieval” and discriminatory. They argue say the law target same-sex couples and infertile couples who no fit have children on their own.
Protesters gather outside the Senate to express their outrage against the law, with some saying it undermine the rights of those who want to start families, especially in a country with sharply declining birth rates. Franco Grillini, a veteran LGBTQ rights activist, describe the law as “monstrous” and say it punish people for not having children in the traditional way.
The law also raise concerns about the status of children born via surrogacy who are already living in Italy. Many of these children dey in legal limbo because Italy no have law to recognize the children of same-sex couples, forcing the non-biological parent to go through lengthy and costly adoption process.
