Siamo uomini e donne con origini etniche, religiose, culturali, socioeconomiche differenti, provenienti da tutte le parti del mondo. Ci uniamo nel manifestare la nostra comune preoccupazione per le donne e i bambini sfruttati attraverso la pratica di gestazione per altri (GPA), detta anche maternità surrogata o utero in affitto.
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• Deutsch |
Insieme riconosciamo il profondo desiderio di genitorialità che molti hanno. Tuttavia, come nella maggior parte dei desideri, devono esserci dei limiti. I diritti umani ci forniscono delle linee guide significative per chi vuole identificare questi limiti. Noi siamo convinti che la gestazione per altri debba essere vietata in quanto costituisce una violazione dei diritti umani delle donne e dei bambini.
La maternità surrogata spesso è basata sullo sfruttamento delle donne più povere. In molti casi sono i poveri ad essere costretti a vendere e i ricchi a potersi permettere di comprare. Queste transazioni inique implicano un consenso da parte di donne poco informate, o del tutto disinformate, una scarsa remunerazione, una coercizione, una insufficienza di assistenza medica nonché gravi rischi per la salute, a corto e lungo termine, delle donne che accettano la gestazione per altri.
La pratica della gestazione per altri comporta dei rischi per la madre surrogata, per le giovani donne che vendono i loro ovociti e per i bambini nati grazie alle tecniche di procreazione assistita. Tra i rischi corsi dalle donne si riscontrano: Sindrome da Iperstimolazione Ovarica (SHSO), torsione delle ovaie, cisti ovariche, dolore pelvico cronico, menopausa precoce, perdita di fertilità, tumori del sistema riproduttivo, trombosi, insufficienza renale, ictus e, in alcuni casi, la morte. Le donne che portano avanti la gravidanza a partire dagli ovociti di altre donne presentano un rischio più elevato di preeclampsia e di ipertensione.
I bambini nati grazie alle tecniche di procreazione assistita, che sono generalmente attuate durante la GPA, sono anche esposti a rischio di patologie quali: nascita prematura, morte intrauterina, peso insufficiente, malformazioni fetali e pressione arteriosa elevata. La gestazione per altri rompe intenzionalmente il legame materno naturale che si stabilisce durante la gravidanza – un legame che i professionisti della medicina incoraggiano e cercano di rinforzare senza tregua. I legame biologico tra la madre e il figlio è innegabilmente di natura intima e una volta spezzato, le conseguenze sono permanenti per entrambe le parti. Nei paesi dove la gestazione per altri è autorizzata questa sofferenza potenziale è istituzionalizzata. Noi siamo convinti che non vi sia differenza tra la pratica commerciale della gestazione per altri e la vendita o l’acquisto dei bambini. Anche se non c’è scambio di denaro (la cosiddetta gestazione non remunerata o “altruistica”), ogni pratica che espone le donne e i bambini a tali rischi deve essere vietata.
Nessuno ha diritto a un bambino: né eterosessuali, né omosessuali e neppure chi ha scelto di rimanere single.
Uniti chiediamo ai governi delle nazioni del mondo e ai capi della comunità internazionale di lavorare insieme per mettere fine a tale pratica e fermare subito l’utero in affitto.
Original Individual Signatories:
| Kathleen Sloan Feminist leader, activist, and author USA |
Phyllis Chesler, Ph.D. Emerita Professor of Psychology, Feminist activist, Scholar and Author of Sacred Bond: The Legacy of Baby M USA |
Marjorie Murphey Campbell, J.D. Founder of NewFeminism.co USA |
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| Renate Klein, Ph.D. Biologist, social scientist, and coordinator FINRRAGE (Feminist International Network of Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering) Australia |
Ruchira Gupta Founder and President, Apne Aap Women Worldwide India |
Jennifer Lahl Founder and President of the Center for Bioethics and Culture Network USA |
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| Janice G. Raymond, Ph.D. Professor Emerita University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and author of Women as Wombs: Reproductive Technologies and the Battle Over Women’s Freedom USA |
Kajsa Ekis Ekman author of Being and Being Bought: Prostitution, Surrogacy and the Split Self Sweden |
Jessica Kern Product of a surrogate pregnancy USA |
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| Sylviane Agacinski Feminist philosopher, author of Corps en Miettes France |
Gail Robinson “Surrogate” Mother USA |
Michel Onfray Philosopher and Writer France |
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| Farida Akhter Women’s rights and health activist Bangladesh |
Tanya Lynn Surrogate mother USA |
Gary Powell LGBT activist and public administration campaigner United Kingdom |
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| Elisa Anne Gomez Surrogate mother USA |
Donna Hughes Eleanor M. and Oscar M. Endowed Chair in Women’s Studies, University of Rhode Island USA |
Helen Alvare, J.D. Professor of Law, George Mason University School of Law USA |
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| Gaëlle Cariati Graduate student in International Relations from University of Calabria Italy |
Julie Bindel, Writer, author, broadcaster, and feminist campaigner against violence against women and children United Kingdom |
Deborah Hornstra M.A. Health Advocacy, Sarah Lawrence College USA |
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| Gertrud Åström Gender equality expert, feminist activist, president of the Swedish Women’s Lobby Sweden |
Lord David Alton Member of British Parliament United Kingdom |
Matthew Eppinette Executive Director, The Center for Bioethics and Culture USA |
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| Robert Oscar Lopez, Ph.D. President of the International Children’s Rights Institute USA |
Alana Newman Founder of The Anonymous Us Project and Advocate for Donor-Conceived People USA |
Charles C. Camosy, Ph.D. Associate professor of theological and social ethics, Fordham University USA |
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| Christopher White Director of Research and Education, The Center for Bioethics and Culture USA |
C. Ben Mitchell, Ph.D. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Graves Professor of Moral Philosophy, Union University USA |
Evan Grae Davis Filmmaker and director of It’s a Girl USA |
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| Katy Doran Donor Conceived Activist USA |
Matt Doran Founder of the free social network: www.DonorChildren.com Donor Conceived Advocate Connecting Biological Family and the Community USA |
Claudia Corrigan D’Arcy Board Member of Adoption Rights Coalition USA |
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| Jeffrey M. Togman, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Political Science and Film at Seton Hall University Director of the film We’re Not Blood USA |
Cathi Swett, J.D. Attorney and Adult Adoptee Advocate USA |
Mirah Riben Author of The Stork Market: America’s Multi-Billion Dollar Unregulated Adoption Industry USA |
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| Miriam Grossman, M.D. Adolescent and adult psychiatrist and women’s health activist. Author Unprotected and You’re Teaching My Child WHAT? USA |
Melinda Tankard Reist Writer, feminist, activist Australia |
Nkechi Asogwa, M.D. President, Doctors Health Initiative Nigeria |
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| Adesuwa Onyenokwe Publisher and Editor in chief of TW Magazine Nigeria |
Ego Egonu, M.D. Physician, Derry Clinics Nigeria |
Sanjay Khanna Convener, Socio-Economic Welfare Society India |
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| Babita Khanna Gen. Secretary, Socio-Economic Welfare Society India |
Lalit Pasricha Project Coordinator, Socio-Economic Welfare Society Canada |
Eliette Abécassis Writer, author of Qumran and La Répudiée, which inspired Amos Gitai’s film Kadosh France |
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| Johanna Langhorst Reporter Sweden |
Eberechukwu Okey-Onyema Executive Director, Healthy Living and Women Empowerment Initiative Nigeria |
Annika Lundegårdh, R.N. Nurse and President of the Women’s Committee of the Centre Party in Uppsala Sweden |
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| Nina Björk Author Sweden |
Ebon Kram Chairman Sweden |
Erika Beckman Chairman, National Organization Against Sexual Abuse Sweden |
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| Jane Eriksson Vice-Chairman, National Organization Against Sexual Abuse Sweden |
Yvonne Hirdman Professor of Women’s History at the Gothenburg University Sweden |
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| Karin Svensson Chairwoman, Roks, The National Organization for Women´s Shelter and Young Women’s Shelter Sweden |
Ebba Witt-Brattstrom Author, Feminist, and Professor in Nordic Literature, University of Helsinki Finland |
Nina Rose, M.D. Vice President, Swedish Women Doctor’s Society Sweden |
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| Caroline Norma, Ph.D. Lecturer in Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University Australia |
Jorunn Friis Reset Organisational secretary, Women’s Front Norway |
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| Helen Pringle, Ph.D. Senior Lecturer in the School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales Australia |
Seyran Duran Chairman of the Kurdistan Women’s Association in Sweden Sweden |
Ruth Nordström President of Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers Sweden |
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| Rebecca Ahlstrand Attorney, Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers Sweden |
Maria Mies, Ph.D. Founding member of FINRRAGE (Feminist International Network of Resistance to Reproductive and Genetic Engineering) Germany |
Shagufta Omar President, Pakistan Chapter of the International Muslim Women Union General Secretary, Women’s Aid Trust Pakistan |
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| Mia Fahlén, M.D. Senior Consultant Surgeon Sweden |
Ana Reis, M.D. Feminist physician, former representative of FINRRAGE Brazil |
Viviane Teitelbaum President, European Women’s Lobby Belgium |
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| Myfanwy Cummerford Donor conceived advocate and Founder of TangledWebs Australia |
Isla MacGregor Tasmanian Public Interest Advocate, Whistleblowers Tasmania Australia |
Simone Andrea Survivor of Prostitution, Director of NorMAC Australia |
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| Martine Segalen Professor Emeritus in Ethnology, Université Paris Ouest France |
Genevieve Couraud President of the Observatoire Droits des Femmes CG-13 President of ECVF, Politicians Against Violence Against Women France |
Yvette Roudy Former Minister for Women’s Rights France |
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| Irene Tabellion President, La Lune, L’Association Strasbourgeoise de Femmes Homosexuelles France |
Marie-Josèphe Bonnet, Ph.D. Historian of Women, Arts, and the Second World War France |
Anne-Yvonne Le Dain Deputy, Socialist Party France |
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| Elfriede Hammerl Journalist and Writer Austria |
Nora Tenenbaum Representative, Coordination of Associations for the Right to Abortion and Contraception France |
Maya Surduts Representative Coordination of Associations for the Right to Abortion and Contraception France |
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| Nnenna Chikezie Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Nigeria |
Alice Schwarzer Editor of EMMA and co-founder of Mouvement de Liberation des Femmes (MLF) Germany |
Nathalie Heinich Sociologist and Research director at Le Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) France |
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| Monette Vacquin Psychoanalyst and author of Frankenstein et les Délires de la Raison and Main Basse sur les Vivants France |
José Bové Member of the European Parliament (Green Group), Former Chairman of Confederation Paysanne / Via Campesina, and Founding member of ATTAC France France |
Emma Sahlén Grip Press Officer, National Organization for Women’s and Girls Shelters in Sweden, Roks Sweden |
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| Arun Dohle Executive Director of Against Child Trafficking Germany |
Roelie Post Author of Romania for Export Only: the Untold Story of the Romanian Orphans The Netherlands |
Anjali Pawar Director, Sakhee Pune India |
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| Gita Ramaswamy Concerned activist for child rights India |
Jin Vilsgaard Contact person for ACT Denmark |
Kat Pinder Sex trade survivor activist and Member, Amnesty International against pimps and buyers Australia |
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| Martine Billard Deputy of Paris 2002-2012, secretary of the delegation for women’s rights of the National Assembly 2007-2012, author of a proposition of law against violence against women in 2007 with Marie-George Buffet France |
Gloria Casas Vila Spanish/Swiss activist against prostitution and surrogacy |
Etienne Dujardin Lawyer Belgium |
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| Sophie Heine, Ph.D. Senior Research Fellow at Egmont, Royal Institute for International Relations Belgium |
Josina Kamerling Head of Regulatory Outreach Belgium |
Michel Ghins Action for family, President Belgium |
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| Xavier Lombard Companies founder Belgium |
Bernard Michelet Companies administrator Belgium |
Tara Hewitt LGBT Activist United Kingdom |
| Swedish Women Doctor’s Society Sweden |
| Roks, The National Organization for Women’s Shelter and Young Women´s Shelter Sweden |
| Swedish Women’s Lobby Sweden |
| Kurdistan Women’s Association in Sweden Sweden |
| Women’s Organisation’s Committee on Alcohol and Drug Issues Sweden |
| European Women’s Lobby Belgium |
| LeCorp France |
| La Lune, L’Association Strasbourgeoise de Femmes Homosexuelles France |
| Coordination of Associations for the Right to Abortion and Contraception France |
| Cercle d’Etude de Réformes Féministes (CERF) France |
| EMMA Germany |
| Against Child Trafficking (ACT) The Netherlands |
| Sakhee Pune India |
| The Center for Bioethics and Culture USA |
| FINRRAGE Australia |
| Women’s Bioethics Alliance Australia |
| Scandinavian Human Rights Lawyers Norway |
| Se non ora quando – Libere Italy |
| Generazione Famiglia Italy |
| Make Mothers Matter France |
| Feministas Mexicanas contra Vientres de Alquiler (Femmva) Mexico |