The government has reassigned the task of drafting a law to regulate the use of Cambodian women to carry the children of foreign parents for money to the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, an official said.
In July, the Justice Ministry announced it had begun drafting the surrogacy law and was taking recommendations from relevant ministries and development partners.
However, a letter issued by the Council of Ministers with the approval of Prime Minister Hun Sen on December 2 states that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs is now responsible for completing the draft, said ministry spokesman Phon Puthborey.
Mr. Puthborey said the ministry was a more appropriate fit for leading efforts to regulate the practice—banned by Health Minister Mam Bunheng last month—because women and children were the most affected.
“If we look at the effects, women and children are the main victims of this,” he said on Tuesday.
Mr. Puthborey said the ministry had not set a deadline and that it was too early to say what direction the law would take.
