As members of a coalition of independent feminist organisations from across Australia, we have jointly submitted our response to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) for its review of surrogacy laws. Our position is unequivocal: all forms of surrogacy constitute sex-based violence against women and girls and perpetuate systemic exploitation, and we maintain that only a universal prohibition—not further regulation—can address the legal, ethical, and policy violations inherent in surrogacy.
We frame surrogacy not simply as a personal path to parenthood, but as a practice that systematically exploits women and girls, inflicting harm that extends beyond individual cases. Only by centring women’s experiences and expertise can the ALRC deliver recommendations that truly uphold women’s rights.