KPH at the Men Having Babies Berlin 2026 conference

30 May 2026 You will read in 4 min.

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For Campaign Against Homophobia (KPH), participating in the Men Having Babies Berlin 2026 conference was both a natural and an extremely important step. “For over a year, we have been working intensively on the ‘Pride & Parent’ project, where we focused on supporting and increasing the visibility of queer mothers. However, these experiences showed us just how significant the informational, systemic, and social gap is in Poland when it comes to men*” — recalls Magdalena Więch.

Large Polish Representation

Men Having Babies (MHB) is a leading international non-profit organization that has, for years, demonstrated that queer men’s* dreams of fatherhood can be realized in a safe, transparent, and above all deeply ethical way. MHB operates across multiple areas: from educating aspiring parents, through providing direct financial support (the GPAP program), to combating prejudice and legal barriers around the world. Their approach is grounded in reliable scientific research and strong ethical standards.

More than twenty participants from Poland attended the conference in Berlin, making us the third-largest national group represented at the entire event. For Campaign Against Homophobia, this is a clear and powerful signal: Polish gay men and same-sex couples want to — and will — start families.

In addition to our association, the conference was attended by a two-person delegation from Attorneys-at-Law and Legal Counsel Office (KMA, attorneys Anna Mazurczak and Mateusz Wąsik), with whom KPH works closely on analyzing the legal situation of rainbow families in Poland.

Men Having Babies Conference, author: KPH

What did we learn? Education, law and standards

During two intensive days of the conference, our representatives learned a great deal about ethical surrogacy. The event program focused on four key pillars:

Medical: covering IVF procedures and comprehensive healthcare safety for all parties involved;
Financial: showing how to realistically budget for such a major undertaking and how to access available support;
Ethical: based on Men Having Babies’s expert-developed principles — the Framework for Ethical Surrogacy — which place the autonomy and well-being of the surrogate, the donor, and the child at the center;
Legal: together with lawyers from KMA, our association actively participated in a dedicated panel for participants from Poland. The discussion covered the complex procedures faced by Polish fathers — from securing parental rights abroad to fighting for the transcription of birth certificates and obtaining passports for children after returning to Poland.

It is worth noting that the majority of fertility treatments and surrogacy arrangements take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico City. In these countries, surrogacy is not only fully legal and clearly regulated by law, but is also broadly socially accepted, providing intended parents with the highest possible sense of security.

Pride and subjectivity

The conference also included meetings with surrogates and egg donors, who shared their personal motivations and emotions.

“Their perspective was an enormous asset of this event. Hearing first-hand stories about these women’s personal motivations, emotions, and the pride they feel from helping to bring new life into the world challenges the harmful stereotypes present in the Polish public debate” — commented Magdalena Więch, LGBT+ Movement Support Coordinator at Campaign Against Homophobia.

Magdalena Więch at Men Having Babies Conference, author: KPH

The program featured numerous inspiring conversations with fathers who had gone through this journey many years ago. They spoke about how naturally family bonds develop in their homes and how, very often, even long after the children are born, the relationships between fathers and surrogates remain remarkably close and family-like.

Our conclusion: Eethical and legal surrogacy

“We returned from Berlin above all with a great sense of hope. This conference showed us that ethical surrogacy — grounded in agency, mutual respect, transparency, and care for the well-being of every person involved in the process — is possible and can function successfully. Because at the very end of this journey, beyond legal provisions and medical procedures, there are the children: deeply wanted, surrounded by unconditional love from their very first moments, and simply happy”— recalls Magdalena Więch.

Przemek Walas, Program Director at KPH, adds:

“The experiences of these families are the best proof that love and the desire to become a parent have no barriers. For us, as KPH, this is a signpost for the future. We now know that our work on LGBT+ parental rights in Poland must — and will — also include comprehensive support for all queer people who wish to build a safe and loving home.”

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