Pope Francis has called for a global ban on the “despicable” practice of surrogacy in a speech listing what he believed were threats to peace and human dignity.

The pontiff said surrogate motherhood was a “grave violation” of the dignity of the woman and the child and appealed to the international community “to prohibit this practice universally”.

He also highlighted the war in Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas conflict, the “immoral” production of nuclear weapons, the escalating climate crisis and migration as other areas of concern for humanity.

The 87-year-old said the life of the unborn child must be protected and not “suppressed or turned into an object of trafficking”.

The Pope said: “I consider despicable the practice of so-called surrogate motherhood, which represents a grave violation of the dignity of the woman and the child, based on the exploitation of situations of the mother’s material needs.”

Last month, he formally approved allowing Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples in a radical change in Vatican policy.

But his latest comments are likely to antagonise pro-LGBTQ groups, since surrogacy – which is when a woman carries and gives birth to a child for another person or couple – is often used by gay or lesbian partners who want to have children.

The Pope has previously voiced the Catholic Church’s opposition to what he has called “uterus for rent”.

Some European countries prohibit the practice, including Spain and Italy.

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However, the Vatican’s doctrine office has said homosexual parents who resort to surrogacy can have their children baptised.

The pontiff was speaking as part of a 45-minute address to Vatican-accredited diplomats, which is sometimes called his “state of the world” speech.

At mass on 1 January, the Pope said women had a crucial role in being models for peace.

“The world, too, needs to look to mothers and to women in order to find peace,” he said.

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