Thanks for downloading this podcast from the BBC. I'm Tim Hewell and this is my

account of a journey to Cambodia that left me wondering about a lot of things.

It's the story of some very poor people who had to make difficult choices and are now being forced to make even more difficult ones.

The story of women who are being treated as criminals, even though you might think they're really victims.

So do you think they'll let me talk to the women?

I don't know. I don't think they will let you talk to the women.

You're listening to the BBC World Service and this is assignment with me Tim Hewell.

I'm in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, outside a very new shiny queen-looking hospital.

Three stories with ornamental palm trees.

And I know that inside this hospital,

there are 32 very frightened young women. Some of them new mothers

who just given birth, some of them still in the last stages of pregnancy, waiting to

give birth. They've all been arrested.

So here's, it's empty, this very, very shiny, clean reception hall here.

Two staff here in white coats.

There's somebody coming down.

This is the main staircase in a black t-shirt.

It's the last day.

Hi. I'm a journalist. I just wanted to ask the ladies who are surrogate mothers. Is it possible for us to meet them?

We can't. You work for the police? Yes you're looking after them, you're guarding them.

Yes, you got. Those young women, all desperately poor, were arrested for something that few people in Cambodia had even heard of till recently.

Our culture, our religion, we never have this thing to be pregnant for someone else.

...