Markus Bauer @ Genital Autonomy 2015: “IGM considered a ‘Harmful Practice’ by UN – Intersex Social Movement Strategies in Action”

Markus on ABC Nightline, filmed during the “I-D$D 2013” Protests  >>> Full “I-D$D” Video

Markus Bauer (Zwischengeschlecht.org/StopIGM.org) is an invited speaker at “Genital Autonomy 2015” in Frankfurt a.M. (Germany), May 6-9. Together with fellow activist Simon Zobel, Markus will represent intersex issues at GA 2015.
Following the annual demonstration in Cologne on the 7th of May to support genital autonomy for all children, there will be a two-day conference in Frankfurt on 8th and 9th May exploring some legal and medical issues relating to the genital cutting of children.
“Genital Autonomy” was established in 1989 as an originally bi-annual international symposium on children’s rights promoting interdisciplinary dialogue about genital cutting practices of male, female, and intersex children. At last year’s symposium in Boulder (Colorado) (abstracts, PDF), Markus presented together with fellow activist Hida Viloria (OII). In 2012 (abstracts, PDF), speakers on intersex were Julius Kaggwa (SIPD, Uganda) and Mika Venhola (youtube-interview), and the symposium issued the 2012 “Helsinki Declaration of the Right to Genital Autonomy”.

Abstract: 2015: Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM) Considered a ‘Harmful Practice’ by UN –– Intersex Social Movement Strategies in Action

In February 2015, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) considered Intersex Genital Mutilations a “Harmful Practice” – a powerful concept calling not only for legislation aimed at eliminating harmful practices, but also stressing implementation, monitoring, enforcement, and remedies. I’ll discuss this and other recent achievements in the context of the ongoing 20-year-struggle of intersex activists to end IGM, employing social movement strategies including coordinated use of nonviolent action, human rights mechanisms, and lawsuits against perpetrators.

Markus Bauer is the co-founder and campaign organiser of the international human rights NGO Zwischengeschlecht.org / StopIGM.org, and legally responsible for their online presence. He is the partner of an intersex person, and a decade-long writer, editor, performing artist, political activist, and social organiser. Since 2007, he facilitated countless nonviolent intersex protests in front of mutilators’ clinics and medical congresses, as well as parliamentary motions, submissions and testimonies for ethics and human rights bodies. He has spoken and published internationally on IGM at universities and symposia, and appeared on radio and television, and in newspapers and magazines, including the Wall Street Journal. Zurich, Switzerland.

VIDEO Action vs. ‘I-D$D’ Genital Mutilators!
4th I-D$D Symposium, Glasgow 2013
Thanks to Richard Duncker (MenDoComplain)

>>> on Vimeo

VIDEO Action vs. ‘ISHID’ Live Mutilators!
IV ISHID World Congress, London 2012
Thanks to Richard Duncker (MenDoComplain)

>>> on Youtube

Intersex Genital Mutilations
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy

2014 NGO Report to the UN Committe on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Documents 17 Forms of IGMs and Nazi-Crimes a.o. in CH, D, A
>>> Download PDF (3.65 MB)    
>>>
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