Surrogacy motherhood provides an option for infertile couples to have a genetically related child of their own. However, in jurisdictions where surrogacy motherhood are not legally accepted, couples deliberately turn to other jurisdictions to conclude a surrogacy agreement where it is in fact legal to do so. When different jurisdictions are involved in one surrogacy motherhood agreement, several problems arise, especially due to the lack of regulation on an international level. These poblems must therefore be resolved by the implementation of an international document or agreement. This discussion will therefore firstly focus on the national position regarding surrogacy motherhood in the South African content to determine whether South Africa will benefit from the implementation of a proposed international document or agreement. Secondly, the research focus on international surrogacy and evaluate the concept to identify the problems arising as a result thereof. Thirdly, the contents of the proposed international document or agreement will be discussed in depth in order to determine what the contents of the document or agreement should include. The aim of the research is to determine which issues and problems should be included in the proposed document or agreement in order to effectively regulate international surrogacy. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Surrogacy motherhood provides an option for infertile couples to have a genetically related child of their own. However, in jurisdictions where surrogacy motherhood are not legally accepted, couples deliberately turn to other jurisdictions to conclude a surrogacy agreement where it is in fact legal to do so. When different jurisdictions are involved in one surrogacy motherhood agreement, several problems arise, especially due to the lack of regulation on an international level. These poblems must therefore be resolved by the implementation of an international document or agreement. This discussion will therefore firstly focus on the national position regarding surrogacy motherhood in the South African content to determine whether South Africa will benefit from the implementation of a proposed international document or agreement. Secondly, the research focus on international surrogacy and evaluate the concept to identify the problems arising as a result thereof. Thirdly, the contents of the proposed international document or agreement will be discussed in depth in order to determine what the contents of the document or agreement should include. The aim of the research is to determine which issues and problems should be included in the proposed document or agreement in order to effectively regulate international surrogacy. / LLM (Comparative Child Law), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Thesis (LLD (Private Law))--University of Stellenbosch, 1998. / 490 leaves double sided printed, preliminary pages and numbered pages 1-469. Includes bibliography. Digitised using a HP Scanjet 8250 Scanner to pdf format (OCR). / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The thesis investigates the effect of the recognition of the rights of the child on the parent-child relationship in private law. Rights of the child seem, on the face of it, to undermine parental authority and family values. The impression is created that the state is abdicating its role as protector of the child in favour of unfettered freedom of the child. The delicate balance between individual freedom and family autonomy may in the result also be under threat. It was, therefore, necessary to extend the investigation to include the role of parents and that of the state. The study is divided into three parts. The first contains a theoretical analysis of the concept rights of the child. It is clear that the concept is a manifestation of fundamental human rights. The rights of the child are unique in nature and accommodate the changing phases of dependence and developing abilities of the child. Theoretical analysis negates the perception that the recognition of the rights of the child contributes to erosion of the family: the importance of the commitment of parents and of the state is apparent. The second part consists of a comprehensive review of the parent-child relationship in the South African private law, and an analysis of the public law dimension of the concept rights of the child. This part of the investigation demonstrates that parental authority is firmly rooted in legal history and that substantive private law does not recognise the child as bearer of rights within the context of the family. However, the Bill of Rights and the 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child unequivocally give public law status to the child as bearer of rights. The study shows that the private and public law status of a child cannot be isolated from one another and that adaptations will have to be made to implement the rights of the child. In the third part of the study an attempt is made to identify the kind of adaptation that must be made. The impact of the idea of the rights of the child upon the parent-child relationship in private law is investigated. Australian and Scottish law are examples of legal systems which endeavour to implement fully the concept of the rights of the child. Indigenous law places a high value on human dignity. The interaction between rights and duties in indigenous systems reflect values which are inherent in the idea of the rights of the child. The study shows that the impact of the rights of the child on the parent-child relationship is such that change and adaptation of private law is necessary. Change and adaptation are required at both theoretical and practical level. A number of obstacles which may inhibit the process of change are identified. Finally, the kind of change and adaptation required is illustrated by a number of practical examples of the impact ofchange on the parent-child relationship. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Daar word in hierdie proefskrif gepoog om te bepaal wat die effek van die erkenning van kinderregte op die ouer-kind verhouding in die privaatreg is. Kinderregte skep op die oog af die persepsie dat ouerlike gesag en gesinswaardes onderrnyn word en dat die staat sy rol as beskerrner van 'n kind abdikeer ten gunste van onbeperkte vryhede aan 'n kind. Die delikate balans tussen individuele vryhede en gesinsoutonomie is in gedrang en op hierdie wyse word die rol van ouers en die staat ook by die ondersoek betrek. Die studie behels 'n drieledige ondersoek. In die eerste plek vind 'n teoretiese ontleding van die begrip kinderregte plaas. Hierdie ondersoek toon aan dat kinderregte 'n verskyningsvorrn van fundamentele menseregte is. Kinderregte het 'n eiesoortige aard en akkommodeer die wisselende fases van afhanklikheid en ontwikkelende verrnoens van 'n kind. Die betrokkenheid van ouers en die staat word beklemtoon en die teoretiese uitgangspunt besweer gevolglik negatiewe persepsies dat die erkenning van kinderregte tot gesinsverbrokkeling sal meewerk. Die tweede deel van die ondersoek bestaan uit 'n volledige uiteensetting van die ouerkind verhouding in die Suid-Afrikaanse privaatreg en 'n ontleding van die publiekregtelike dimensie van die begrip kinderregte. Hierdie deel van die ondersoek bewys dat ouerlike gesag regshistories sterk fundeer is en dat die substantiewe privaatreg nie die kind as draer van regte binne gesinsverband erken nie. Daarteenoor verleen die Handves van Regte en die Verenigde Nasies se Konvensie op die Regte van die kind 1989 'n duidelike publiekregtelike status aan die kind as draer van regte. Die ondersoek toon aan dat die privaatregtelike en publiekregtelike status van 'n kind nie van mekaar gelsoleer kan word nie en dat aanpassings sal moet plaasvind ten einde kinderregte te implementeer. Die tipe aanpassings wat gemaak sal moet word, vloei voort uit die derde element van hierdie studie. Hierdie deeI van die studie behels 'n toepassing van die idee van kinderregte op die ouer-kind verhouding in die privaatreg. 'n Regsvergelykende element word betrek en die Australiese en Skotse reg word as modelle van 'n regstelsel voorgehou wat poog om kinderregte tot sy volle konsekwensies te implementeer. Vir doeleindes van interne regsvergelyking word daar ook na die inheemse reg verwys. Die hoe premie wat laasgenoemde regstelsel op menswaardigheid plaas en die wisselwerking tussen regte en verpligtinge verteenwoordig waardes wat eie aan die idee van kinderregte is. Die gevolgtrekking is dat die effek van kinderregte op die ouer-kind verhouding van sodanige omvang is dat aanpassings in die privaatreg sal moet plaasvind. Veranderings in regsdenke en formele aanpassings word vereis en 'n aantal struikelblokke wat deel van hierdie proses is, word uitgelig. Sekere praktiese implikasies vir die ouer-kind verhouding word ook voorgehou ten einde te illustreer wat die aard van die aanpassings is wat vereis word.