A Pyramid Approach to Surrogacy Law

Insights from Sri Lanka, India, and the UK
Erscheinungsjahr 2026
ISBN: 978-1-009-67079-1
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 280 Seiten

Reihe: Cambridge Bioethics and Law

Surrogacy is a rapidly evolving global phenomenon that raises profound legal, ethical, and social questions. This book offers a pioneering Rights-Based Pyramid Approach, balancing adults' rights through liberty, equality, and vulnerability, to secure the best interests of children at the centre. Drawing on extensive empirical research in Sri Lanka, alongside comparative analysis of India and the UK, it provides a uniquely context-sensitive perspective on how surrogacy laws can and should respond to real-world challenges. A distinctive feature of this book is its examination of how one country's laws impact surrogacy both within and beyond national borders, shaping practices, markets, and policy responses across regions. Written in clear, accessible language, the book bridges academic and practical debates, making it essential reading for students, researchers, and professionals in law, bioethics, gender studies, social policy, sociology, psychology, and public health, as well as policymakers and practitioners seeking a comprehensive yet practical guide.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Abeyrathna, Danushika

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Introduction; 2. Rights-based pyramid approach; 3. Surrogacy law in the UK: through the lens of RPA; 4. Surrogacy practice in India: through the lens of RPA; 5. Surrogacy practice in Sri Lanka: through the lens of RPA; 6. From national regulation to global influence: mapping the displacement, rebound and regulatory backlash effects of surrogacy markets; 7. RPA in action – contextualising the RPA; Conclusion; Bibliography; Appendix 01: interview details; Appendix 02: voices of Sri Lankan surrogate mothers; Appendix 03: voices of Sri Lankan intended parents.

Über Autor(innen)

Abeyrathna, Danushika
Danushika Abeyrathna serves as the Head and Senior Lecturer in Law at the Department of Private and Comparative Law, Faculty of Law, University of Colombo. An Attorney-at-Law in Sri Lanka with a Ph.D. in surrogacy law, she is a prize-winning scholar and a Guest Editor of the Asian Bioethics Review who has contributed nationally to policy making while advancing academic discourse in medical law, family law, and human rights.