National Women Commission (NWC) has drawn its attention towards reports of various hospitals providing surrogacy services without any legal provision and the government’s move towards legalising the service.

In its statement released on Thursday, the commission has mentioned that Ministry of Health and Population’s work towards formulating a new legislative to allow some hospitals to carry out surrogacy services for money is of serious concern.

“NWC condemns any activity related with surrogacy that exploit young girls

and women from poor and marginalised families to allow their womb to give birth for money,” according to Manu Chapagain, spokesperson at the commission.

In recent times, various media have reported on the increasing cases of surrogacy with the help of various hospitals that are providing the services illegally.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court had issued an interim order directing concerned bodies involved in illegal surrogacy services to stop operation immediately until further notice. Hospitals, namely Grande City Clinic and Diagnostic Center, Om Hospital and Research Center and Venus Hospital are reported to be providing surrogacy services.

At present, there is no legal provision or legislative framework that guides surrogacy along with protecting the rights of surrogate mothers and the child born to them and other legalities.