Overseas surrogacy rise raises stateless baby fears

Experts warn that a growing number of babies born through overseas surrogacy are at risk of being stateless. Statelessness means a person has no nationality and may lack access to rights like education, healthcare, and travel documents. The warning comes as calls increase for international rules to regulate the practice. Many people from wealthier countries use surrogates abroad, often in nations with lower costs and different laws. This can create legal problems. For example, a child might not automatically get the nationality of the intended parents' country, and the surrogate's country may not grant citizenship either. This gap leaves some children without any nationality. A major effort to create a global surrogacy treaty has been paused. The Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) suspended its 15-year work on a convention after member countries could not agree. Without such rules, families and children face uncertainty. Countries like Mexico have become popular for surrogacy, but legal differences between states can cause issues. Experts say global cooperation is urgently needed to protect children born through these arrangements. They urge governments to work together to prevent statelessness and ensure clear legal status for all children.