Japanese dad in the middle of the Thai Surrogacy scandal set to return to thailand

A 24-year-old Japanese man who has fathered more than a dozen surrogate babies in Thailand said he is ready to return to Thailand early next month to talk to police and claim his children currently in the care of the government. police said Monday. 
A senior Thai police officer told Kyodo News that Mitsutoki Shigeta communicated his wishes through his Thai lawyer, Kong Suriyamonthon.

An Internet webcam photo of Mitsutoki Shigeta, who has fathered more than a dozen surrogate babies in Thailand. His lawyer said Monday he will return to Thailand to claim the children by early October. (AFP photo)

Thai police have told Mr Shigeta to explain the circumstances surrounding his act of fathering surrogate babies, warning that legal action will be taken unless he gives an account personally to police.
The official said Mr Kong contacted police Sept 26 and told them Mr Shigeta will travel to Thailand by early October at the latest.
A parental test conducted by Thai authorities through DNA samples provided by the man has shown he is the biological father of the babies. Mr Kong on Sept 3 provided a written statement to police explaining why his client fathered the children through surrogacy.
According to Thai law, a father who wants to obtain parental rights needs to testify before a family court. Thai police have said they want to hear the man's explanations in person.
The Japanese father had also previously promised to visit Thailand to undertake the legal procedures of parenthood.
According to police, Mr Shigeta has fathered 16 children in Thailand. Mr Kong has said Mr Shigeta also fathered two surrogate children in India. Police said last month the man left Thailand with four new-born babies bound for Cambodia so far this year, taking with him one baby at a time.
Mr Shigeta, traveling with a Cambodian passport visited, Cambodia more than 10 times, according to police.
Police found out more surrogate babies fathered by the Japanese man in an apartment in Bangkok together with their nannies. The babies' birth certificates named Mr Shigeta as their father.

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Surrogacy and the Religious Conundrum!!

Maya Medina of Boynton Beach, a Jewish mother who gave birth through gestational surrogacy, poses with her family in Fort Lauderdale.

Census reveals that there are only about 5000  Jews in India,this story is not about them but about some very brave jewish mothers fighting against all odds to what they percieve is rightfully theirs!!

What determines if a child is Jewish? The egg — or the womb?
Three South Florida Jewish mothers who finally have the children they desperately wanted, but could not have for medical reasons, are now fighting to have those children recognized as Jewish.
All three had children through gestational surrogacy, a new technology that uses the intended mother's ovum/egg and the father's sperm with a surrogate carrying the baby to term. The baby is genetically related to both parents and not to the surrogate.
However, since the child was "not born" of a Jewish mother, as Jewish halachic law states, the mothers, all observant Jews, are left in religious limbo regarding the Jewish status of their children. So far, the mothers have not been successful in getting an answer from several rabbis they turned to for help.
"The Jewish laws state that my children are not Jewish because they were not born to a Jewish mother — even though they are 100 percent genetically Jewish," said Lisa Parker of Boynton Beach, who has two toddlers, a boy and girl, born 32 days apart to two surrogates in India.
Parker, whose husband is Israeli, said since both their grandparents are Holocaust survivors, their children should be considered Jewish "considering our parental lines."
"Our grandparents must be turning in their graves because their grandchildren are not considered Jewish," she said. "Hitler would have considered them Jewish — and gassed them."
The 40-year-old Orthodox mother said she "literally went to the ends of the world" to have children, and said she is dismayed that the Orthodox movement does not consider them Jewish, even though "the mohel didn't have a problem performing the bris."
Another mother, Natalie (who declined to use her last name), of Boca Raton, had been through 25 IVF's that took place in Colombia, Europe, Israel and the U.S., and is now the mother of a son through gestational surrogacy.
"After years of emotional, physical, mental and financial stress, we decided to use a surrogate to carry for us. Three surrogates later, we now have a beautiful baby boy, Ariel, our sunshine and prince," she said.
"Since this journey took over 10 years, our Jewish community was extremely happy for us. They attended the bris and naming. Now it seems the only thing left to do is visit the mikvah," she said.
However, that has not happened yet because she has run into problems with local rabbis she said, "Not because they don't want to help, but rather because they're not familiar with IVF and surrogacy," she said.
Maya Medina of Boynton Beach, who decided to explore surrogacy "after a long battle with infertility," and who now has twin boys through gestational surrogacy, echoed those sentiments.
"The problem is that science and rabbinical law have not met at the same level yet," she said. "We need the proper rabbi to attend the mikvah but, so far, all five [rabbis] that I spoke with politely declined. Our family is mostly Conservative and very traditional. My husband and I were both born in Israel and we follow his Sephardic traditions. My husband will not agree to the Reformed practices."
Rabbi Moshe Scheiner of Palm Beach Synagogue, who has been advised of the women's dilemma and is anxious to help, said he would "be happy" to speak with them.
"We tend to require them to go through the mikvah," he said. "These are complex issues. In an Orthodox conversion, there are certain standards that have to be met."
Medina and the other mothers are clutching at a glimmer of hope.
"We would like the world to know that there are many family building options available and want to spread awareness through our journey," she said. "Some Jewish laws may prohibit the practices of science to create families for the childless couple, and we are a true example of how success is possible."
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/florida-jewish-journal/news/palm/fl-jjpn-surrogate-1001-20140929,0,6346293.story

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National Policy Dialogue on Surrogacy in India

On 23rd of September i was in New Delhi where i was invited to be part of a panel Discussion on issues related to Surrogacy in India,the Conference was organised by CSR which is a national body working on issues related to Gender equality and Empowerment of women.
Their head Dr.Ranjana Kumari is a dynamic lady who has been working for causes related to upliftment of women in India for the last 35 years.it was a heated debate between the Pro and Anti Surrogacy Groups but everyone did reach a consensus that there should be more transparency and more public awareness to be created about Surrogacy in INDIA.
it was a wonderful experience to hear from Dr.R.S.Sharma who is the main in charge for drafting of the ART draft bill which includes the laws related to Surrogacy in INDIA and catching up with the leading practitioners of ART in the country.

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Indian Surrogacy for Infertile couples from Spain,Hong Kong and India.

Surrogacy in India.
Its been a busy start to the week and we Love it!! hearty Congratulations to Mrs and Mr.Gu from Hong Kong,Mrs and Mr.Madhav from India and Atonio Arias From Spain on the birth of their Children with the help of the Kiran Infertility Center ivf and Surrogacy Program. the Mothers and Babies are doing well and we wish them the best for the future.

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Important Development for Indian Surrogacy-Court asks Indian Govt. to clarify stand on surrogate children

The Supreme Court of India on Thursday Aked the government to clarify its stand on the citizenship of children born to an Indian surrogate mother in India, but whose biological mother is a foreign national.

“Under the Constitution, a child born here from an Indian surrogate mother is entitled to Indian citizenship, but what happens if the biological mother is a foreign citizen and the child applies for citizenship of that country,” a Bench led by Justice Ranajan Gogoi asked.

The Bench is looking into the larger issue of the need for a “comprehensive legislation” dealing with all the issues and situations, citizenship of a surrogate child, created by the latest reproductive technology.

The problem of citizenship of a surrogate child was highlighted in the case of two twin babies born to an Indian surrogate mother and a German father in 2008. The two boys — Balaz Nikolas and Balaz Leonard, whose father is German national Jan Balaz — were conceived by an Indian woman in Anand district of Gujarat in January 2008.

Today, Justice Gogoi suggested whether the government could even consider dual citizenship for surrogate children born in such circumstances.

“The concept of dual citizenship for surrogate children born in certain circumstances could be considered. This dual citizenship can give limited entitlements to such children,” Justice Gogoi suggested to Mr. Mehta.

The ASG informed that a Bill - Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulation Bill - was introduced in the parliament in 2010, and he would get instruction on the status of the Bill.

The court has listed the case for hearing after 6 weeks to hear the reply from the government.

Keywords
needless to say this is a very important development for Surrogacy in India as the USA is the only country at present which provides babies born through Surrogacy with an American passport if the baby has been born on AMerican Soil.

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