Dr. Sheela Saravanan über Leihmutterschaft in Indien

 

Surrogacy Biomarkets in India: A Reproductive Justice Approach to Transnational Feminism

 

Ein Vortrag im Rahmen der Vorlesungsreihe "South Asia on the Move - Aufbrüche zwischen lokaler Verortung und globalen Einflüssen"

Wann? 29.05.17 18:15-19:45 Uhr

Wo? JGU Philosophicum P 204 

 

The increasing cross-border movement offering reproductive technologies such as surrogacy and sex selective abortions has challenged the fundamentals of the reproductive liberty and human rights framework. Some of the most popular destinations for surrogacy are transitional economies such as: India, Nepal and Ukraine. Global markets based on the supply of ‘free-of-cost’ or cheap and uncomplicated wombs have been rationalized as a solution to ‘infertility’ and as a reduction to the ‘profound socio-economic inequalities’. Some liberals have argued that procreative rights should include third person reproduction such as surrogacy. However, pregnancy contracts that put the contract mothers through social stigma, psychological challenges, violation of her bodily integrity and moreover their health, freedom, liberty and even life at stake cannot be considered a solution for infertility and inequalities.

Dr. Sheela Saravanan has 2 Masters from Indian Universities in Geography and Development Planning. Her Ph.D. thesis from Queensland University, Australia in Public Health was on the influence of biomedical frameworks of knowledge on local birthing practices in India. She has published on the status of reproductive health in South Asia, violence against women and female infanticide in India earlier. She has worked in research institutions in Chennai, Pune and Delhi. Since 2007 she has been working in the Universities of Heidelberg, Bonn and Goettingen. She has published on global injustice, exploitation and objectification in the process of commercial surrogacy in India. Since January 2016 she is working at South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University researching on prenatal diagnosis and selective abortions practices in Germany and India.