Next week, Germany will be examined by the UN Committee against Torture (CAT). The Committee already reprimanded Germany for IGM practices in 2011, explicitly urging the Government to, inter alia, “adopt legal provisions in order to provide redress to the victims of such treatment, including adequate compensation”.
A Thematic Intersex NGO Report by StopIGM.org / Zwischengeschlecht.org (PDF) provides solid evidence of ongoing IGM practices in Germany, and how despite repeated Government promises there are still no legal protections for intersex children at risk (p. 14-16, 21-22) and no access to redress and justice for IGM survivors (p. 22-23, 27-31), in clear contradiction of the 2011 CAT binding recommendations for Germany.
The report further documents recent developments including
- Minister’s conference proposes “legal ban” of IGM (p. 17)
- Inter-Ministerial Working Group on Intersexuality and Transsexuality states IGM “may constitute bodily injury”, suggests “clarifying prohibition” (p. 18)
- Coalition Agreement promises legal prohibition of IGM (p. 19)
- CCPR raises “non-emergency” surgery, “obstacles in access to justice” (p. 19)
- CESCR64: Germany promises “legislation” to prohibit IGM (p. 19)
- Minister of Justice promises “legal provision” to “end this practice” (p. 20)
- Social Court: Involuntary, non-urgent Clitorectomy = “state of the art” legal medical Intervention “serv[ing] the well-being of the patient” (p. 20)
StopIGM.org will be reporting live from Geneva, hoping for tough questions on IGM – and for yet another strong reprimand for IGM practices for Germany!
>>> Full Timeline CAT Germany 2013-2019
>>> Intersex: How to Distinguish Medical Crimes from Health Care
See also:
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM
• 40 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC): IGM = Harmful Practice + Violence
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Women’s Rights Committee (CEDAW): IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD): Violation of Integrity
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) condemns IGM Practices
Intersex Genital Mutilations • 17 Most Common Forms
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Historical Overview • What is Intersex? • How Common is IGM?
>>> Download PDF (3.65 MB) >>> Table of Contents
IGM as a Harmful Practice: 2015 UN-CRC Briefing
• IGM: A Survivor’s Perspective • Intersex Movement History
• What are Variations of Sex Anatomy? • What are IGM Practices?
• IGM and Human Rights • Conclusion: IGM is a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB) >>> Table of Contents
Eliminating IGM practices by holding the perpetrators accountable via well-established applicable human rights frameworks, including Inhuman Treatment and Harmful Practices – Presentation @ UN expert meeting on Intersex Human Rights
>>> Download PDF (831kb)