There were times when surrogacy in Cambodia did come as a top choice for most of the intended parents around the world. Still, with time, and some unnecessary regulations from the government of Cambodia as the surrogacy ban in Cambodia, the situation has gone otherwise.
Over the years, the government has criminalized surrogacy under the laws created for human trafficking. So, even if a surrogate mother may try to carry a pregnancy, she may attract a severe punishment of almost 20 years in prison because of the surrogacy ban in Cambodia.
Why surrogacy laws in Cambodia became so harsh?
Surrogacy in Cambodia has always attracted thousands of medical tourists in the past. While this also came as a big push to the ART industry, the government had other thoughts. Even while the surrogate mothers were happily carrying infants for other intended parents, the government charged them with an act of human trafficking.
There are no surrogacy laws in Cambodia even now. So, technically, it is not a crime to pursue surrogacy in Cambodia. Besides, one can opt for even same-sex surrogacy in Cambodia without any issues. Still, given the harsh policies of the existing communist government, things have become really difficult for the intended parents all along.
As of now, surrogacy is deemed a punishable offence while being quoted as an act of human trafficking. So, as per the government, surrogate mothers are carrying infants for other parents so that they can take them back to their home country.
As per the government, this is a criminal act due to the surrogacy ban in Cambodia and needs to be looked at from the same perspective. Besides, they are taking it as a big issue that is insisting thousands of women enter into the domain to earn their livelihood.
Is there any hope for surrogacy in Cambodia in the near future?
Because of incompetent surrogacy laws, surrogate mothers run the risk of suffering some unfavourable outcomes. Moreover, many women who have served as surrogates for people or couples from other countries are now being pushed to raise the kids born via surrogacy due to a changing political environment and those flimsy laws.
On the other side, surrogate mothers in Cambodia are being forced and told that they will be punished if they don’t raise the children themselves, rather than giving birth and giving the child to the people who were supposed to adopt and raise them. That said, the intended parents seeking the child have occasionally also been threatened with prison time.
Why the situation is worse than ever?
Most Asian nations decided to strictly regulate surrogacy nearly ten years ago, making the practice much more challenging there. Moreover, people then began looking to Cambodia as a place where they could start or grow their families. That said, fertility centres and surrogacy agencies opened their doors in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia.
There were many surrogacy agencies in Cambodia helping people to realize their parenthood goals. Still, as per the threat from the government of Cambodia, these agencies got to shut down eventually. Although it is still legal, The government has taken the decision to detain and prosecute surrogates under human trafficking laws, claiming that they are trafficking the children they are giving birth to on behalf of other people.
On the other side, numerous surrogates have been detained due to the surrogacy ban in Cambodia, along with some of the prospective parents who had made arrangements with the surrogate mothers for the kids carried by them.
That said, a 20-year sentence is imposed as punishment under human trafficking laws. In Cambodia, many women decide to become surrogates in order to make money, but as a result, they now have more children to care for and feed.
Although police raids have forced these surrogate mothers to raise the infants even while they cannot afford and separate children from those who were expected to be parents, Cambodian authorities maintain that they are trying to prevent their citizens from being exploited.
Final words
As of now, the situation is quite horrible in terms of surrogacy and its ban in Cambodia. So, we would advise you to get in touch with a surrogacy agency in Cambodia to help with other potential alternatives.
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