Just over a year has elapsed since that day - March 3, 2023 - when 100 brave experts from 75 countries stood together, united by a document that would shape the course of human rights forever.

The "Declaration of Casablanca" is not merely a piece of paper; it embodies a revolutionary spirit and a resolute determination to bring about change. 

From March 2023, more and more experts from all over the world are joining the cause by signing the Declaration: CitizenGO, as you can well imagine, could not fail to be among the signatories.

Listen closely, for I will recount the heart of the matter. This declaration has a noble purpose: to eradicate surrogacy universally, condemning its practice in every form - whether compensated or not. It calls upon nations to take decisive action, implementing all possible measures to combat this exploitative phenomenon.

The movement ignited by this declaration continues to generate ripples of positivity and hope. 

And so, a decision was made - to convene a new conference, this time in Rome. On April 5 and 6, professors, politicians, jurists, journalists, and experts from around the globe gathered with a single unified goal: to rally for the universal abolition of surrogacy.

Why was Italy chosen as the stage for this significant international conference? The answer lies in the country's exemplary progress toward enacting a law criminalizing surrogacy - a beacon of hope for other nations to follow. 

On behalf of the Italian Government was the Minister for the Family, Eugenia Roccella, who expressed her hopes for the approval of the proposed law in the Senate (it has already passed in the Lower House), with the ultimate aim of making it legally binding.

Passionate and powerful were the myriad speeches delivered by distinguished voices. They delved into the core reasons why surrogacy amounts to a modern-day form of slavery, disproportionately affecting women - especially those in vulnerable circumstances - and children. 

The very notion of women being contracted, with the commissioning parents having dominance over their lives, raises profound ethical questions. How can such exploitation of women's bodies still exist in 2024?

And let us not forget about the children—innocent beings whose rights are infringed upon before they even take their first breath. Is it acceptable for a child to become a pawn in the bargaining game of contractual agreements?

It is a simple truth—one that resonates deeply—that a child should not be brought into this world to fulfill the desires of adults. Rather, a child deserves to be nurtured, protected, and raised in the loving embrace of their mother and father.

Remarkably, the fight against surrogacy is breaking barriers, uniting unlikely allies: the conference was attended by several Italian MPs serving as speakers, representing diverse political factions and backgrounds.

Christians and radical feminists, who usually find themselves on opposing sides of various debates, now find common ground in vehemently denouncing a practice that commodifies women's bodies and strips away their dignity.

Among the many impactful speeches and interventions, none were as moving as the testimony of Olivia Maurel, the spokesperson for the Declaration of Casablanca. 

Olivia Maurel 

Her story is profoundly touching, and hearing her recount it makes it even more heartbreaking. Anyone who has had the privilege of listening to one of her testimonies cannot help but be deeply moved by it.

Fearlessly, Olivia openly shares the challenging journey she has endured in her life: the anguish, the constant fear of abandonment, and the bafflement of not knowing the root cause of these struggles.

It was only when she finally found out the truth that she comprehended how everything could be traced back to that profound wound, an immense trauma that left an indelible mark from the instant she entered this world: the separation from the mother who had nurtured and shielded her within the safety of her womb for nine precious months.

Olivia, now a 32-year-old woman, happily married with three children, has found her calling in exposing the harms of surrogacy and defending the rights of women and children worldwide. Her voice is an essential pillar in this ongoing struggle. But it is also the commitment of every single one of us, including you and me, that is urgently needed. 

We must raise our voices, resoundingly declaring that children cannot be bought and sold, and women's bodies must never be violated through the practice of surrogacy.

At CitizenGO, we have long been fervently opposed to surrogacy, and we shall continue to be at the forefront of this battle. In Italy for example numerous petitions have been launched over the years: the most recent is the one in June 2023 to support the legislative proposal to declare surrogacy a universal crime (and we have seen that our efforts bore fruits).

This unified plea, resounding across Rome and hoping for a profound global impact, is to safeguard the well-being of children and vulnerable women who are increasingly at risk in our societies.

It is worth noting that we are talking about the very societies that, regrettably, prioritize and uphold the greatest infringement of human rights – abortion. It is disheartening to witness children's rights being increasingly disregarded in favor of the wants and desires of adults. The practice of surrogacy is only further confirmation of this.

Therefore, we should start by prioritizing the protection and the valorization of the child. It is the child who must find safety and sanctuary, their rights fulfilled - not the ones of the adults.

A beacon of light emerged in this fight when the EU Parliament on April 23 decided to categorize surrogacy under the umbrella of human trafficking. Although the directive's focus on “trafficking for the purpose of the exploitation of surrogate motherhood” and on those “who coerce or deceive women into the shadows of surrogacy” may not yet cast an outright condemnation on the practice, it indeed ignites a spark of change! This is more than a step: it is a leap forward in the relentless crusade to eradicate such profound cruelty.

Let us not forget that even the Catholic Church has taken a strong stance against surrogacy. The recent document by the Dicastery of the Faith "Dignitas Infinita" courageously condemned this practice. 

Moreover, as far back as January, though it garnered little media attention, Pope Francis himself firmly declared: "I deem deplorable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child [...] Consequently, I express my hope for an effort by the international community to prohibit this practice universally."

The resolute appeal fills us with joy and renews our hope as we continue our fight against surrogacy. His words stand as a constant reminder that any assault on human dignity must be deplored and actively combated.

We know we are on the right track and we must be more motivated than ever to keep fighting.