Chile > Ministry of Health Calls for Abolishing IGM Practices

Circular No. 18 of the Ministry (Photo: Camilo Godoy Peña)    >>> PDF    >>> english transl.

Christmas present for the Intersex Movement from Santiago!

The Subsecretariat for Public Health of the Chilean Ministry for Health published a Circular No. 18 “Instruction on Certain Aspects of Health Care of Intersex Children” dated 22 December and signed by the Secretary for Support Networks (Dr. Gisela Alarcón) and the Secretary for Public Health (Dr. Jaime Burrows).

Therein, the Ministry expresses “deep concern” over non-consensual “tratments” on intersex children and adolescents, and refers to statements by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

According to Camilo Godoy Peña, the circular specifically stipulates:

1. The suspension of “unnecessary ‘normalising’ treatments on intersex children, including irreversible genital surgeries, until they are old enough to decide themselves about their own bodies.”

2. Establishing working groups in health care institutions, consisting of endocrinologists, gynaecologists, psychologists and ethicists, tasked to formulate a treatment plan for each intersex person, which has to be transmitted to the Central Committee of the Ministry of Health for approval.

3. The appointment of a person in charge in every halth care institution responsible for the documentation an registration with the Ministry of all cases.

Thus, this should prevent IGM practices as well as ensure solid data collection and monitoring of all cases.

My 2 Cents: Good news from Chile! Even though the entire document doesn’t seem publicly available yet is now available: >>> PDF    >>> english transl., and we’ll have to await if really all forms of IGM practices will be covered by this new regulation, and if future perpetrators won’t find loopholes to just ignore it – also according to a solidary paediatric surgeon only the fear of tangible punishments including suspension / adaption of the statutes of limitations will effectively prevent further mutilations. Nonetheless, Circular No. 18 is a historic development regarding the urgent and vital protection of intersex children in Chile – a move also warmly recommeded to other Ministries of Health around the globe! For this, to Camilo Godoy Peña, Andres Rivera Duarte and everybody else who contributed, a heartfelt thank you from this blog!

>>> UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) reprimands Chile over IGM
>>> Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) condems IGM practices

See also:
• 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) condems IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!  

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 are IGMs?
>>> 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 as a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB)     >>> Table of Contents