Olivia Maurel receives the Atreju Prize in Italy 

Speech given by Olivia Maurel at the presentation of her Atreju Prize in Rome on 13 December 2024

I would like to thank Fratelli d’Italia for this award and of course the Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who initiated this absolutely incredible event and without whom it would not have been possible. Thank you for this moment and to all those who worked, sometimes behind the scenes, to make this event a great success. This moment will forever be engraved in my heart.

I have been fighting for a year to protect women and children from the global surrogacy market as spokesperson for the Casablanca Declaration. As a reminder, the Casablanca Declaration is a movement bringing together people from over 80 countries, from many disciplines and beliefs, people of all political colours, and experts in many fields. We all advocate for the abolition of surrogacy by means of an international treaty. I became their spokesperson somewhat by coincidence – some would say providence – because I was born through surrogate motherhood and it caused me so much suffering that I couldn’t stand and do nothing to help abolish this monstrosity. I have told my story in various medias around the world and in my soon-to-be-released book that is intitled, « Where are you mommy?».

So for a year now I’ve been fighting and travelling to tell my story as a surrogate born child fighting against surrogacy and the importance of protecting children’s rights and women’s rights. In one year, I’ve been able to speak at the Czech Parliament, the Croatian Parliament, the United Nations in NYC, the European Parliament, the United Nations in Geneva, Barcelona, Paris, here in Rome too (it was my favourite trip, if I may confess to you;)… not forgetting my personal meeting with Pope Francis, for whom I have very strong thoughts today, and who didn’t hesitate to reach out to a feminist and atheist like me to work together to abolish surrogacy. But I also have a very strong thought towards your Minister for the Family, Eugenia Roccella, who also didn’t hesitate to show her courage by supporting me and taking part in our historic congress held last April in this city. I met members of various governments, secretaries of state and mayors, as well as ordinary citizens and students to dispel the lies spread by the propaganda in favour of surrogacy and raise awareness of the atrocity of this new form of slavery. I’ve had some extraordinary encounters, and we’ve carried out some powerful actions that have led to concrete results.

I’m not going to lie to you. Even though it has all been extraordinary and I like to keep only the good memories, daring to speak out against surrogacy and it’s international market of 14 billion dollars worldwide, estimated to reach 100 billion in 2032, has been very difficult: I have experienced threats against myself but also against my children, insults, low blows, the loss of my parents who no longer wish to speak to me and a lot of friends. But I never gave up, because I’m not afraid and telling the truth is my vocation. The choice was clear: either I lived the price of discipline and hard work, or I paid the price of regret. The choice was quickly made: I was born through surrogacy and the only way for me to make sense of what I’ve been through is to fight for its abolition, for the rest of my life if necessary. All this has immense meaning for me, but above all for so many victims of this market, which is based on the vulnerability of poor women and makes children the object of a transaction. Allow me to pay a tribute to all those women who have lost their health and even their lives because of this industry (Michelle Reaves, Premila Vaghela, Ranjeeta Lal, Lydia Cox and Brooke Lee Brown, and all those whom we do not know about and we will never know about).

On 16 October 2024, Italy made history by passing its new law on surrogacy, making it a universal offence. When the law was officially passed, I cried with joy. Finally, a country had dared to take a firm stand against surrogacy, at last a country had dared to make history. With this law, Italy has given itself the means to protect not only women against exploitation in surrogacy, but also the children sold in surrogacy, children who are all too often forgotten.

Italy is showing the way forward for all the other countries that have not yet dared to take initiatives to protect women and children. This law has been echoed around the world, as far as Argentina. On 22 October 2023, Argentina’s Supreme Court of Justice ruled, in a case involving a surrogacy done by two men, that the mother was indeed the one giving birth and that she could not be removed from the child’s birth certificate. The Spanish Supreme Court also recently refused to recognise an American decision validating a surrogacy contract on the grounds that it was contrary to public policy. So we are already seeing the effects of Italy’s strong and courageous stance throughout the world.

Now I think it’s time to take things to the next level. That’s why I’m inviting Italy, Argentina and Spain, as well as any country that deeply wants to protect the children and women of this world, to sign the Casablanca Declaration to show their willingness to draw up an international treaty. We need you, and I am asking you as a spokesperson for the Casablanca Declaration, but also as a victim of surrogacy, to give an impulse towards an international treaty, which is the only way to stop this trade in women and children.

I’m thinking in particular of Argentina, where the surrogacy market is growing incredibly fast: Argentina, the poor and / or uneducated women in your country are being used to sell their children, please, I beg you, something must be done to stop Westerners come abuse poor women and separate babies from their mothers. I hope I can count on the support of President Javier Milei.

I’m also thinking of Lebanon, which is suffering terribly and where its women are also being contacted via the Internet to rent out their wombs and sometimes are even trafficked to other countries to become surrogates. Lebanon could be a driving force in this region of the world, as could Morocco (let’s not forget that our movement was born in Casablanca, Morocco!), Algeria and Saudi Arabia. Most of these countries ban surrogacy: we invite them to promote this ban at regional and global level!

Finally, I’m thinking of my beloved country, France, home of human rights, and of Europe, which is struggling between the contradictions of the ‘parenthood certificate’ and the recent directive on human trafficking. Countries such as Finland, Hungary, Iceland, Slovenia and Croatia, which already ban surrogacy, could follow in Italy’s footsteps!

Thank you again for this award, and I can’t tell you how moved I am to receive it. A year ago, when I dared to start speaking out, knowing full well what it was going to cost me, I couldn’t have imagined for a single second that I would be standing here before you today. I still can’t believe it! This evening I’m thinking of the Olivia who sank into drug addictions and alcohol, I’m thinking of the Olivia who went through extreme depression and anxiety, I’m thinking of the Olivia here who wanted to take her own life several times because of the consequences of surrogacy, but who stands before you today and has risen from the ashes for a mission that was destined for her: to abolish the surrogacy market that has gone on for too long.

Just one thing to say: Long live women and children, and Viva Italia!