Recently, a United Nations human rights official appeared before a U.N. committee to present her research on the topic of surrogacy. For social conservatives skeptical of anything done by U.N. officials, it was a refreshing change of pace.

The report, written by Reem Alsalem, special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, examined surrogacy through the lens of violence against women and girls. It concluded that the practice of surrogacy—whether in its “altruistic” form or commercial—commodifies and exploits women and children. And despite surrogacy’s rapid global expansion, the report noted, it is incompatible with human rights.

After detailing many of the ways surrogacy harms women and children, the new report ultimately recommends that all countries ban surrogacy completely, calling upon U.N. member states to adopt a legally binding treaty that would prohibit surrogacy globally while supporting its victims.

The special rapporteur’s report, first released in July, has already influenced policy discussions in several countries. In September, the Slovak Republic adopted a constitutional amendment prohibiting surrogacy. Meanwhile, governments in Australia, Ecuador, and San Marino are currently reviewing the legal status of surrogacy in their countries.

Other developed countries have a wide range of positions on surrogacy.

Last year, Italy........

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