Commercialisation of the female body : As wombs become ‘stock-in- trade’

Abstract: This study has focused on the approach of the Indian government with additional voices from women’s rights activist and researchers. The study has investigated how the surrogacy industry is approached and dealt with within the political economy sphere. It presents an exemplifying case of how business based on bio-­‐medical advancements and globalization is dealt with on a national level. The main research question is How is commercial surrogacy produced and approached as a social problem by the Indian government? It uses ‘What’s the problem represented to be’-­ method and a theoretical framework of gendered international political economy. The Indian government label and frame commercial surrogacy first and foremost as a medical issue. The labeling is a consequence of the government’s categorization of commercial surrogacy as a source for foreign exchange revenue. A complication of this framing is weakening of the surrogates bargaining position. Commercial surrogacy is only categorized as a social problem when the process is not smooth; that is when the commissioning parents are not pleased. The Indian governments policy, proposed and implemented, regarding commercial surrogacy forms discursive complications that can be harmful for surrogates.