80th Session of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls
Intervention delivered by Latvia on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic States – Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden
10 October 2025
Mr Chair,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Nordic and Baltic States.
We thank all briefers for the reports and their presentation.
Ms. Reem Alsalem,
Your report highlights consequences of surrogacy arrangements that may occur and the importance of strengthening the protection of human rights for women and children involved in such arrangements.
This report is timely, shedding light on an issue that remains under-discussed, yet may carry implications for human rights, gender equality, and child protection. As the number of surrogacy arrangements, including cross-border arrangements, are rapidly increasing, we have to think about the protection of human rights of those affected by surrogacy.
Surrogacy can offer a path to parenthood for individuals who are unable to conceive or carry a child. At the same time, commercial surrogacy has developed rapidly over the past years, which emphasises the risk of placing economically vulnerable women in an even more precarious position creating ethical concerns about consent and coercion. The report illustrates that there is a risk that surrogacy can intersect with multiple forms of violence against women and girls, underscoring the need for rights-based safeguards and sound regulation.
We acknowledge that surrogacy exists because it reflects the evolving ways how people build families in response to their own realities. At the same time, we must address the ethical, legal and social challenges it presents to ensure the protection of the rights of the women and children, including girls, involved. Women’s health, autonomy, and dignity must be fully respected and prioritized.
Special Rapporteur,
One of your proposed recommendations is to prohibit surrogacy – how would you suggest that the prohibition of surrogacy could be balanced with the rights of individuals and also take into account the best interests of the child?