Equality denounces eight agencies for “promoting” surrogacy

He Ministry of Equalitythrough the Women’s Institute, has presented a legal report to the State Attorney’s Office for the promotion of surrogacy on websites and social networks against eight agencies with registered office in Spain.

Specifically, the department headed by Ana Redondo has reported that The document includes the 334 complaints received at the Women’s Image Observatory (IOM), between November 29 and December 31, 2024, for the commercial promotion of surrogacy on websites and social networks.

In this sense, it emphasizes that the Law on sexual and reproductive health and voluntary interruption of pregnancy expressly prohibits in its article 33 the commercial promotion of surrogacy. Likewise, this norm urges public administrations legitimized by the General Advertising Law, among which is the Women’s Institute, to initiate judicial actions aimed “at the declaration of illegality and the cessation of advertising that promotes commercial practices for surrogacy.

The report also includes an analysis of the publications made by the eight agencies with headquarters in Spain that highlights the different communication resources that these businesses use to attract potential clients. Thus, Igualdad has referred to “interviews on blogs that they disguise the violence that this practice entails for women’s health” and “the idealization of the so-called ‘pregnant mothers’.”

The director of the Women’s Institute, Cristina Hernández, has pointed out that “renting a woman’s womb is a detestable practice in any society that understands that women’s rights are also human rights.” Furthermore, he highlighted that “women’s bodies are neither bought nor rented.”

Along these same lines, Hernández has said that «linguistic euphemisms are not valid to hide a situation of violence and reproductive exploitation of women due to their vulnerable situation. Likewise, the director has recognized and thanked the “fundamental” role of the feminist movement and a “committed” citizenry who, with their complaints, have made it possible for the Women’s Institute to prepare the report.