Italy + Belgium > UN-CRC80 to examine Intersex Genital Mutilation

>>> Italy > Asked about intersex, Gov replies on trans + “3rd gender”
>>> Belgium > Gov claims it’s “medical treatment”, not human rights issue


Photo taken from the cover of the 2018 Belgium NGO Report (for Session): Ghent University Hospital, 12.06.2015

Zwischengeschlecht.org on FacebookDuring the 80th Session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in Geneva, this week the Committee will examine the human rights record of Italy (22.-23.01.) and Belgium (24.-25.01.). In the run-up to the Session, the Committee had already asked both State parties questions specifically on intersex and IGM.

Intersex NGO StopIGM.org together with intersex advocates Claudia Balsamo (Italy) and Thierry Bosman (Belgium), with the support of Intersexioni, Intersex Esiste and Intersex Belgium, and with additional help from Michela Balocchi, Daniela Crocetti and Londé Ngosso, had submitted substantial evidence of the ongoing IGM practices in both countries:

Italy (22.-23.01.)

Review of the human rights record of Italy during the 80th CRC Session in Geneva, archived on webtv.un.org:
Session 1: Tue 22 January 2019, 15-18h Report | Video
Session 2: Wed 23 January 2019, 10-13h  Report | Video
   When CRC asked about harmful practices on intersex children,
Italy answered on trans legislation and 3rd gender in birth assistance certificates …

   >>> CRC80 Italy Session Report, Transcripts, Videos
>>>
Italy > Intersex Genital Mutilation: Gov Denial makes UN Press Release

>>> Full CRC Timeline Italy 2018-2019

2018 CRC Italy NGO (for PSWG) Intersex IGMIn March 2018, the initial Thematic Intersex NGO Report (for PSWG) (PDF) provided solid evidence of ongoing IGM practices in Italy, advocated and paid for by the State party (p. 10-14). In addition, it shows how Italian case law promotes and endorses IGM by punishing its prevention (p. 11-12).
The Committe then asked Italy questions on intersex and IGM in its List of Issues (LOI), which Italy had to reply to in writing.

2018 CRC Italy NGO (for Session) Intersex IGMIn December 2018, the follow-up Thematic Intersex NGO Report (for Session) (PDF) investigated the statistic claims made by Italy in its replies to the LOI, and documented much higher numbers published by Italian IGM doctors themselves (p. 10-12).
It also contains personal testimonies from IGM survivors (p. 14-19), and extensive evidence of the most common IGM practices in Italy (p. 20-24).

Belgium (24.-25.01.)

Review of the human rights record of Belgium during the 80th CRC Session in Geneva, to be transmitted LIVE on webtv.un.org:
Session 1: Thu 24 January 2019, 15-18h Report | Video
Session 2: Fr 25 January 2019, 10-13h Report | Video
When CRC asked about harmful practices on intersex children,
Belgium replied it’s “medical treatment” , not a human rights issue …

>>> CRC80 Belgium Session Report, Transcripts, Videos
>>>
Belgique > Communiqué de l’ONU souligne l’absence de protection législative

>>> Full CRC Timeline Belgium 2018-2019

2018 CRC Belgium NGO (for PSWG) Intersex IGMIn March 2018, the initial Thematic Intersex NGO Report (for PSWG) (PDF) provided solid evidence of ongoing IGM practices in Belgium, advocated and paid for by the State party via the Public Health Service, and facilitated in public University Children’s Hospitals (p. 10-12).
In addition, it demonstrated that also children from neighbouring Luxembourg are sent to Belgium for IGM practices, particularly to the Ghent University Hospital (p. 12), and showed how Belgian IGM doctors consciously dismiss human rights (p. 13-14), the lack of independent data collection and monitoring (14) and obstacles to redress for IGM survivors (p. 14).

2018 CRC Belgium NGO (for Session) Intersex IGM In December 2018, the follow-up Thematic Intersex NGO Report (for Session) (PDF) documents recent developments including also children from Luxembourg and Malta submitted to IGM in Belgium (p. 7), Belgian hospitals involved in international IGM networks (p. 7-8), and how Belgian government bodies, in the name of promoting “Rights of intersex people”, in fact further promote and subsidise IGM practicioners and their institutions (p. 8-10); and it investigates the claims made by Belgium in its answers to the LOI (p. 11-14). The submitted version of the Report also contains a personal testimony of an IGM survivor (not included in the public version).

See also:
‘Only the Fear of the Judge Will Make IGM Perpetrators Change’
“Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM
38 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)

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