Why I can’t be at the 4th Intersex Forum (4IIF) – Call for collaborative UN Action

Full disclosure: While not invited to the 1st Forum in Brussels 2011, Daniela and Markus participated in the 2nd Forum in Stockholm 2012 and the 3rd in Malta 2013, and suggested among other things the inclusion of “legislative measures” (to end IGM practices), access to “adequate redress” and the “right to truth” (for IGM survivors) in the Public Statements. Daniela both times received a scholarship. Already for the 3rd Forum Markus’s application was initially rejected, but then reconsidered (see photo).

Zwischengeschlecht.org on Facebook Statement by Daniela “Nella” Truffer 17.04.2017:

Dear fellow intersex campaigners

For 10 years now I’ve been campaigning to stop IGM, and unfortunately in my whole life I was never that much bullied, ostracised, marginalised, used and shamed like because of my work. While I was at least somewhat prepared for the legal and other threats by IGM doctors and clinics, I didn’t expect and was even less prepared for half of the threats, and nearly all of the bullying, ostracising, contempt and instrumentalisation of our work, coming from fellow intersex activists, in my experience most of them not having been submitted to IGM in their childhood and considering themselves as an extended arm of the LGBT movement.

Unfortunately, I’ve experienced such behaviour also at international meetings similar to the 4IIF in Amsterdam, and I’m aware of others having experienced such at an earlier forum. This is why I stopped attending such meetings alone, but only go together with my partner and collaborator Markus Bauer. This I also clearly stated in my application to the 4IIF (to which in the end I didn’t even get a definitive reply).

Call for collaborative UN Action

As you probably know, our work in collaboration with intersex activists around the world has been instrumental in putting intersex and IGM on the map at the UN treaty bodies, and as stated in my application, I wanted to attend the forum together with Markus mainly to exchange and engage with fellow activists regarding future collaborations.

I would have loved to do a practical workshop on this topic together at the 4IIF, but in addition to not feeling safe going there alone, doing a workshop without Markus would have been way less effective, as I’m used to working together with Markus as a team, with both of us having complementary fields of expertise and experience.

As this is now not possible, I would very much like to encourage everybody wanting their country to be reprimanded by the UN for IGM and disregard of intersex human rights to contact me personally to discuss details.

We will gladly collaborate with anybody willing to take part in UN human rights mechanisms, and will gladly support you and/or your organisation in

  • identifying applicable treaties and when your country will be up for review
  • research and compile evidence of intersex human rights violations, according to the needs of the Committee(s)
  • writing and editing personal testimony of the severe physical pain and suffering caused by IGM, according to the needs of the Committee(s)
  • compiling and submitting NGO reports on intersex human rights violations, including a compelling legal argument how they violate which articles and general comments of the relevant Convention(s)
  • successfully making your case during the very short time available at briefings and during the session
  • using the resulting UN reprimands to put the pressure on IGM doctors and state actors supporting them

Please feel free to forward/share this call to/with anyone who might also be interested! Any questions, please ask.

We are currently at 22 UN reprimands for IGM practices, and hoping for the 23rd within the next weeks, mostly due to our work and international collaborations. Get active and take part in making this 100!

Best wishes,

Daniela Truffer
Co-founder StopIGM.org
nella_at_zwischengeschlecht.info
Mobile +41 (0) 76 398 06 50

http://StopIGM.org

See also:
23 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
“Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM
UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC) 2015: IGM = Harmful Practice
UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) condemns IGM
56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments for IGM
CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

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