Rechtsidee

Vol. 13 No. 2 (2025): December
International Law

Exploitation of Thai Women in Georgia In Vitro Fertilization Practices

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  • Nida Syahla Hanifah,
  • Muhammad Rizki Yudha Prawira
Nida Syahla Hanifah
Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta
Muhammad Rizki Yudha Prawira
Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21070/jihr.v13i2.1081
Categories

Published 2025-10-22

Keywords

  • In Vitro Fertilization,
  • Human Trafficking,
  • Egg Donation,
  • Reproductive Rights,
  • Legal Regulation

How to Cite

Hanifah, N. S., & Prawira, M. R. Y. (2025). Exploitation of Thai Women in Georgia In Vitro Fertilization Practices. Rechtsidee, 13(2), 10.21070/jihr.v13i2.1081. https://doi.org/10.21070/jihr.v13i2.1081

Copyright (c) 2025 Nida Syahla Hanifah, Muhammad Rizki Yudha Prawira (Author)

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Abstract

General Background: The global rise in assisted reproductive technologies, particularly in vitro fertilization (IVF), has created a transnational market often intertwined with ethical and human rights concerns. Specific Background: In Georgia, weak regulatory frameworks have facilitated exploitative IVF practices involving Thai women, revealing patterns of reproductive trafficking masked as legitimate medical services. Knowledge Gap: While both Thailand and Georgia have ratified international conventions such as CEDAW and the Palermo Protocol, the practical enforcement of these instruments in cross-border IVF contexts remains underexplored. Aims: This study aims to analyze the exploitation of Thai egg donors in Georgia through a human rights lens, identifying legal shortcomings and proposing measures aligned with international norms. Results: Findings indicate that the exploitation constitutes human trafficking under the Palermo Protocol, highlighting a regulatory vacuum that prioritizes commercial profit over women’s bodily autonomy and informed consent. Novelty: The research bridges reproductive ethics, international human rights law, and feminist legal theory to expose how IVF commercialization enables structural gender-based exploitation. Implications: The study underscores the necessity for harmonized transnational regulation, implementation of Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) frameworks, and adoption of global ethical standards to ensure reproductive justice and protect women from exploitation in assisted reproductive industries.

Highlights:

  • Highlights the exploitation of Thai women in Georgia’s IVF industry as a form of human trafficking.

  • Reveals the regulatory vacuum and weak enforcement of international human rights standards.

  • Proposes cross-border legal harmonization through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) to protect women’s rights.

Keywords: In Vitro Fertilization, Human Trafficking, Egg Donation, Reproductive Rights, Legal Regulation

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