Politics

Further to the announcement dated 21.06.2023 regarding surrogacy procedures in Northern Cyprus, Albania, and Kenya, the Unit for the Coordination of the Fight Against human trafficking in the Ministry of Justice requests to inform the public considering using surrogacy abroad, of relevant information and a warning against carrying out these procedures in the country of Ukraine.
The Unit monitors the patterns of conduct in surrogacy procedures outside of Israel, and assesses indications that raise concerns about defects in informed consent and the free will of surrogate mothers, and even their exploitation. In extreme cases, when there are serious and cumulative indications, there is even concern about the occurrence of various criminal offenses, including human trafficking.
Among other things, the following indications have been observed in Ukraine: severe violence against surrogate women, exploitation of particularly vulnerable women, bringing foreign women to Ukraine solely for the purpose of these procedures, draconian clauses in surrogacy agreements that harm the surrogate’s rights and disregard the ongoing war in the region, as well as non-payment for carrying out the procedure. 
In light of the above, the recommendation of the Unit for the Coordination of the Fight Against Human Trafficking is to refrain from carrying out surrogacy procedures in Ukraine at this time, in order to prevent harm and damage to surrogate mothers, intended parents, and newborns, and to prevent difficulties and problems in subsequent legal proceedings.