StopIGM.org

>>> Communiqué de presse de l’ONU du 13.07.2017:

« StopIGM.org a exprimé sa préoccupation quant à la persistance des mutilations génitales des personnes intersexes financées par l’État.  L’ONG s’est inquiétée du nombre croissant d’opérations de ce type pratiquées par des médecins qui en font la promotion dans des cliniques italiennes collaborant avec des programmes européens. »

>>> July 2017: UN-CEDAW and HRCttee investigate IGM in Italy and Switzerland

IGM Practices in Italy: 2017 CEDAW Report
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM in Italy• Complicity of the State • Harmful Practice
>>> Download as PDF (650 kb)

Bearing witness to IGM at the UN: Claudia Balsamo, Daniela Truffer, Geneva 03.07.2017
#CEDAW67  #ItalyCEDAW  #CCPR120  #SwitzerlandCCPR  #Torture  #HarmfulPractice

CCPR120 Switzerland

During its 120th session, the UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) as the Treaty body monitoring implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) is investigating Intersex Genital Mutilations for the very first time! 

StopIGM.org in collaboration with Swiss peer and parent’s self-help groups Intersex.ch and SI Global have been denouncing IGM practices in Switzerland as a violation of CCPR since 2014, with the Committee thereafter asking the Swiss State party questions on intersex and IGM in its List of Issues Prior to Reporting (LoIPR) under para 22. In their (non-)reply, Switzerland brought up the usual denial + pinkwashing in the State report (para 188).

During the 1st part of the State examination in Geneva on 03 July, Committee expert Christof Heyns therafter inquired about Switzerland’s position in the matter, with the Delegation (non-)replying with more of the same, repeatedly changing the topic to discrimination issues and “sex change in documents”. StopIGM.org is now hoping for follow-up questions in the 2nd Q&A session today …

UPDATE!   Committee expert Yuval Shany asked a follow-up question about practical steps to raise awareness, prevent practice and guarantee rehabilitation for victims …The Delegation again insisted doctors would allegedly rrespect the right to self-determination and physical and mental integrity of intersex persons, then went on about “sexual reassignment” … Full transcript here.

>>> CCPR120 > TRANSCRIPT + VIDEO: Switzerland Questioned over IGM

>>> UN Press release english | français – both mention intersex
>>> Video Session 1 | Session 2 

NGO Report to the 4th Periodic Report of Switzerland on the  International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR)

>>> Download as PDF (809 kb)

Compiled by:
StopIGM.org / Zwischengeschlecht.org
Intersex.ch
SI Selbsthilfe Intersexualität

Timetable CCPR120 Review of Switzerland July 2017:
• NGO Briefing Switzerland (closed): Mon 3 July  >>> Intersex Statement 
• NGO Lunchtime Briefing (closed): Mon 3 July
• Review of Switzerland: Mon 3 July 15-17h + Tue 4 July 10-13h CET
   >>> TRANSCRIPT | Video Session 1 | Session 2
• The Concluding Observations for Switzerland including a stern reprimand for IGM practices (CCPR/C/CHE/CO/4, paras 24-25) were published at the end of the 120th CCPR Session, marking the very first reprimand for IGM by the Human Rights Committee (HRCttee)!

CEDAW67 Italy

Italy is once more up for review of IGM practices at the 67th session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). StopIGM.org in Collaboration with Italian intersex advocate Claudia Balsamo have documented the ongoing practice in Italian clinics and the complicity of the State in a thematic NGO report and are now hoping for tough questions on IGM for Italy during the State review today …
>>> VIDEO + TRANSCRIPT: Italy Questioned over IGM

UPDATE 1: The testimony by Claudia Balsamo has been mentioned in the french + english UN press release:

«A representative of StopIGM.org provided the testimony of a person exposed to intersex genital mutilation as a child and said that all forms of intersex genital mutilation persisted in Italy, paid for by the State.  Doctors openly boasted in the media about a large increase in surgeries, while the national institutions openly advocated the practice.  Italy still failed to explicitly prohibit by law and adequately sanction or criminalize the practice.»

UPDATE 2: You can also hear the full statement on the now archived >>> video (starting at 9:10 min).

UPDATE 3: Literally in the very last minutes, Committe expert Patrizia Schulz asks about non-consensual surgeries on intersex children! Does the Stae party plan to ban this harmful practice? The Delegation issues a full denial, claiming only medically necessary surgeries would take place, although there is no recent data available. Patrizia Schulz quickly follows up, parents can not consent. Full transcripts to follow

>>> Video Session 2 (starting at 1:58)  

NGO Report to the 7th Report of Italy on the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)

>>>  Download (PDF 650 kb)

 
Compiled by:
Claudia Balsamo
StopIGM.org / Zwischengeschlecht.org

Timetable CEDAW67 Review of Italy July 2017:
• NGO Briefing Italy (public): Mon 3 July 15:00-16:15h CET 
   – to be transmitted live on webtv.un.org!
• NGO Lunchtime Briefing (closed): Mon 3 July
• Review of Italy: Tue 4 July 10-13h + 15-17h CET
   – to be transmitted live on webtv.un.org!
• The Concluding Observations for Italy, hopefully with another severe reprimand for IGM practices, are due at the end the 66th CEDAW Session (24 July 2017 or soon after).

See also:
• 31 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condemn 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!

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

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)

Photo: Nonviolent Intersex Protest #1 vs. ‘6th I-DSD’ @ Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen 29.06.2017

On occasion of the ‘6th I-DSD Symposium 2017’, the international human rights NGO StopIGM.org delivered an
>>> Open Letter (PDF) by Persons Concerned, Partners, Families, Friends and Allies with 92 101 signatories to ‘I-DSD’, ‘DSDnet’, ‘eUROGEN’, ‘Endo-ERN’, ‘DSD-Life’ and Affiliates including 115 EU-funded IGM clinics in 27 countries.

The letter contains up-to-date references to international human rights bodies including the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the UN Committee against Torture (CAT), the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) condemning involuntary, non-urgent procedures on children with variations of sex anatomy as serious human rights violations amounting to “harmful cultural practices” (like FGM) or “inhuman treatment” punishable as torture, and currently having issued 25 reprimands to 16 State parties in Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and Oceania, as well as to recent legislative efforts to criminalise or adequately sanction the practice.

The 92 101 signatories kindly ask DSD clinicians, institutions and affiliates to reconsider involuntary, non-urgent treatments of children with variations of sex anatomy and to to initiate a process of coming to terms with the past as a necessary first step towards reconciliation.

You can find the full text of the Open Letter online here:
http://StopIGM.org/public/Open_Letter_I-DSD_Copenhagen_2017.pdf

Thanks to everybody who signed and/or supported the protests!

See you where the action is!

• Copenhagen: Nonviolent Intersex Protests + Info 29.06.-01.07.2017
vs. “I-D$D 2017” • ”Rigshospitalet” • “D$Dnet” • “eUROGEN” • “Endo-ERN” • “D$D-Life”

>>> “I-D$D 2017” Opening Lecture: Stuck with torturing intersex children
>>> “D$D-Life” as a typical example illustrating the ‘Global IGM Cartel’

See also:
• 23 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM

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

UPDATE: I was able to see the last slides of Eric Vilain’s actual ’I-DSD 2017’ presentation, including the one addressing possible prohibition of IGM, and I’m happy to report that the issue was dealt with rather matter-of-factly, with Eric Vilain stating that he was expecting prohibition to come, although he wished it wouldn’t.

Copenhagen 29.06.-01.07.2017:
Nonviolent Intersex Protests + Info
vs. “I-D$D 2017” • ”Rigshospitalet” • “D$Dnet”
• “eUROGEN” • “Endo-ERN” • “D$D-Life”

“Setting the Scene”: Professor Eric Vilain (geneticist for all things D$D at University of California Los Angeles UCLA) has been appointed to deliver the opening lecture of ‘6th I-D$D 2017’ (with Prof Anders Juul, Department of Growth and Reproduction at The Juliane Marie Centre, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, acting as Chair):

«By equating surgery with torture, some doctors argue, activists are further tying the hands of a medical community that is trying to act in their patients’ best interest carry on mutilating intersex children for scientific ‘progress’.

“This completely antagonizes the medical community. This is not progress, in my opinion,” Eric Vilain, professor of human genetics and pediatrics at UCLA, told […]. “It’s a tactic that’s likely to work, and it’s a tactic that will prevent us from actually understanding what’s going on carrying on mutilating intersex children for scientific ‘progress’.” »

– Eric “Crybaby” Vilain 

There, fixed that for ya.

The title of Eric Vilain’s “I-D$D 2017” opening lecture, “Stuck in the Middle”, had already been used for a 2016 portrait in the print version of “Nature” (PDF), with Vilain and fellow D$D doc David Sandberg still whining on about unfair, unfair human rights bodies and evil, evil activists “alienating” IGM perpetrators, “scaring” parents and “driving infant surgery underground”:   

«In January, the United Nations released a report saying that sex-assignment surgeries on infants “lead to severe and life-long physical and mental pain and suffering and can amount to torture and ill-treatment”. Vilain and Sandberg worry that the language could alienate doctors and parents alike. “You’re basically calling doctors torturers when they’re doing something considered standard medical practice,” Vilain says. He points out that few medical procedures are governed by law — physicians tend to operate according to guidelines and principles. “I’m not opposed to guidelines, I’m opposed to things that completely alter medical practice prevent medical crimes on intersex children in an irreversible way,” he says. He and Sandberg also worry that legal bans could drive infant surgery underground. “Parents are scared. You just don’t dictate to them and say get over it,” Sandberg says.»

«Yet Vilain’s experiences with patient advocates have hardened him somewhat. “I call the ones who work with us advocates; those against us activists,” he says. He remains driven by questions about sex, even if it kicks up dust. “We’re trying to listen to the community, but by the same token we’re committed to producing data and evidence carrying on with criminal human experimentation on intersex children for scientific ‘progress’.”»

– Eric “I’m not a torturer” Vilain 

Please help reminding Eric Vilain and fellow IGM perps and accomplices in Copenhagen and everywhere that it is NOT OK to mutilate defenceless children!

• Copenhagen: Nonviolent Intersex Protests + Info 29.06.-01.07.2017
    vs. “I-D$D 2017” • ”Rigshospitalet” • “D$Dnet” • “eUROGEN” • “Endo-ERN” • “D$D-Life”

• 23 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM

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

• Copenhagen: Nonviolent Intersex Protests + Info 29.06.-01.07.2017
vs. “I-D$D 2017” • ”Rigshospitalet” • “D$Dnet” • “eUROGEN” • “Endo-ERN” • “D$D-Life”

Unfortunately still bears repeating (8):

Also at the multi-million EU perpetrator’s ‘research’ project ‘DSD-Life’, persons concerned and their organisations are ‘consulted’ by name only, while the usual perpetrators themselves in 14 IGM clinics in 6 European countries are handsomely paid to ‘investigate’ their very own handiwork:

 Click to enlarge!
“DSD-Life”: 6 Million Euros for IGM Perpetrators’ ‘Research’ incl. ‘Ethics Band Aid’
“Multidisciplinary Teams” = Pedo Endos (‘PädEndo’) + Surgeons (‘Chirurgie’)
= Same since Beginning of Systematic Intersex Genital Mutilations in 1950

>>> EU: Biggest funder of IGM – how much longer?!

>>> IGM Global, Inc.: Why we are targetting the ‘9th Joint Meeting’

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)
>>> Download PDF (3.65 MB)     >>> Table of Contents

STOP IGM Primer:
What everyone should know about Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGMs)!
>>> Download (PDF, 1.95 MB) 

Dear fellow campaigners, friends and allies

In 2016, Denmark has been reprimanded by the UN Committee against Torture for allowing Intersex Genital Mutilations to continue with impunity. Nonetheless, the daily mutilations continue, and next week IGM doctors from allover will flock to the Rigshospitalet Copenhagen for the ‘6th I-DSD Symposium 2017’ (More info + all the dates see here).

Therefore, we are going to hand in another Open Letter to participating and affiliated doctors, medical and ‘research’ organisations, DSD Clinics, Universites, Government and other public bodies on occasion of peaceful protests, and ask everybody to sign it.
You can find the draft of the Open Letter (PDF) online here:
http://StopIGM.org/public/DRAFT_Open_Letter_I-DSD_Copenhagen_2017.pdf

How to sign:

Please send us an email to daniela.truffer_at_gmx.ch (replace _at_ by @) with your:
  – name,
  – city,
  – country, and
  – organisation (if applicable)
so we can add your name to the list of signatories in the Open Letter!

(In case you want to sign the letter not on behalf of your organisation, but in personal capacity, just add something like ‘Personal Capacity, Affiliation given for identification purposes only’ behind your name and organisation, and we’ll add this in the letter.)

Please spread this invitation to other parties and individuals concerned. So there will be as many signatures as possible.

Please respond quickly! Thanks for adding your signature to let the doctors know that it’s NOT OK to cosmetically alter intersex children’s genitals!

Kind regards

Daniela “Nella” Truffer, Markus Bauer
Founding members human rights NGO StopIGM.org / Zwischengeschlecht.org
Mobile +41 (0) 76 398 06 50

http://StopIGM.org 

Copenhagen 29.06.-01.07.2017:
Nonviolent Intersex Protests + Info
vs. “I-D$D 2017” • ”Rigshospitalet” • “D$Dnet”
• “eUROGEN” • “Endo-ERN” • “D$D-Life”

>>> “I-D$D 2017” Opening Lecture: Stuck with torturing intersex children
>>> “D$D-Life” as a typical example illustrating the ‘Global IGM Cartel’  

See also:
• 23 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM

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

Photo: Glasgow, 09.06.2013: Nonviolent Intersex Protest #7 vs. ‘4th I-DSD Symposium’ | Open Letter (PDF) 

YIKES!! Intersex Genital Mutilators from all over will gather for the “6th International DSD Symposium” a.k.a. “I-D$D 2017” at the “Rigshospitalet” of the University of Copenhagen, co-organised by “UK Medical Research Council (MRC)” and “D$Dnet”,
also featuring “eUROGEN”, “Endo-ERN” and “D$D-Life”.

StopIGM.org will confront them all with nonviolent protests and an Open Letter, and denounce their human rights violations.

Please help reminding IGM perpetrators and accessories that it is NOT OK to mutilate defenceless children!

INFO: Thur 29.06.2017 19h @ Amnesty International Denmark
Gammeltorv 8, 4. Sal | 4th Floor • 1457 København K
“Intersex Genital Mutilations and Human Rights” 

7 PEACEFUL VIGILS + OPEN LETTERS: Thurs 29.06. – Sat 01.07.
“STOP Intersex Genital Mutilations!”

Thursday 29.06.2017
#1: 08:30-16:30   Rigshospitalet (main entrance) “I-DSD 2017”
      Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen
#2: 16:45-18:15   “I-DSD 2017″ (Rigshospitalet entrance 44, Auditorium 1+2)
      Rigshospitalet, Juliane Maries vej, 2100 Copenhagen

Friday 30.06.2017
#3: 08:30-10:30   Juliane Marie Centret (main entrance)
      Rigshospitalet, Juliane Maries vej, Copenhagen
#4: 10:45-13:45   Medical Faculty @ Panum Building (main entrance)
      University of Copenhagen, Panum Building, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen
#5: 14:00-18:00   Rigshospitalet (main entrance) “I-DSD 2017”
      Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen

Saturday 01.07.2017
#6: 08:00-12:00   Rigshospitalet (main entrance) “I-DSD 2017”
      Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100 Copenhagen
#7: 12:15-13:15   “I-DSD 2017″ (Rigshospitalet entrance 44, Auditorium 1+2)
      Rigshospitalet, Juliane Maries vej, 2100 Copenhagen

>>> “I-D$D 2017” Opening Lecture: Stuck with torturing intersex children
>>> “D$D-Life” as a typical example illustrating the ‘Global IGM Cartel’  

See also:
• 23 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting …
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM

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

Australia is currently up for review of Intersex Genital Mutilation at the 60th session of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in Geneva. OII Australia has participated in a Joint submission to the Committee, raising IGM practices.

On March 31, the Committe questioned Australia on IGM, with the Government as per usual either denying or defending the practice, and “mistaking” intersex for transgender (pinkwashing).

The following is what was mentioned on IGM in the official UN Summary records:

«22. Mr. Uprimny (Task Force Member) said that he would like to know whether the forced sterilization of persons with disabilities was allowed if consent was given not by the person concerned but by a surrogate. He asked what the Government’s policy was regarding non-consensual genital surgery for intersex individuals and whether such surgery could be performed with surrogate consent.»

«34. [Mr. Walter (Australia) said that] The treatment of intersex children was typically carried out in two stages: firstly, the administration of hormones to suppress the advancement of puberty in the gender of birth and, secondly, the administration of hormones to promote the affirmed gender. Authorization from the Family Court was required for stage 2 but not for stage 1. The third stage, namely surgery, was not usually considered for minors. The number of applications to the Family Court had risen from 5 in 2013 to 23 in 2016. The Government was conscious of the fact that requiring judicial authorization could delay treatment and lead to depression, suicidal thoughts and self-harm and was, therefore, looking into possible reforms. In that connection, a number of recent Family Court decisions concerning treatment for intersex children were under review by the Government.»

Usually, the Summary records are fragmentary at best, and unfortunately so far there is no actual transcription of the Intersex Q&A available.

According to tweets by People with Disability Australia Inc. (PWDA) who were present in Geneva, the Australian Gov in addition openly confirmed they’re not willing to implement the recommendations of the Senate inquiries on involuntary sterislisation of intersex people.

So, hopefully the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) will issue strong Concluding Observations on IGM for Australia.

CESCR has already explicitly condemned IGM practices in their General comment No. 22 (2016) on the right to sexual and reproductive health:

«59. Violations of the obligation to protect occur when a State fails to take effective steps to prevent third parties from undermining the enjoyment of the right to sexual and reproductive health. This includes the failure to prohibit and take measures to prevent all forms of violence and coercion committed by private individuals and entities, including domestic violence, rape (including marital rape), sexual assault, abuse and harassment, including during conflict, post-conflict and transition situations; violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons or women seeking abortion or post-abortion care; harmful practices such as female genital mutilation, child and forced marriage, forced sterilization, forced abortion and forced pregnancy; and medically unnecessary, irreversible and involuntary surgery and treatment performed on intersex infants or children.»

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!

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

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)

UPDATE 2: We received a 2nd reply by Amnesty London (fulltext). Apparently now it’s just a case of bad “wording” having “created confusion”, and “clarify[ing]” that Amnesty “are not opposing any such laws [calling for criminalisation of IGM]”, however any call to do so would be “complicated by the fact that in many cases clinicians argue that interventions are ‘medically necessary’”. More intersex advocates have criticised Amnesty’s doctor-friendly answer and lack of acknowledging the political intersex consensus and relevant UN findings, and, where allowed to do so by local Amnesty sections, renewed calls for prohibition. We support these calls in our 2nd reply (fulltext) and ask, “when and how will Amnesty make this clarified position public?”  To be continued …

UPDATE! We received a reply by Amnesty (fulltext). The most salient bit reads: “However, [Amnesty] do[es] not call for a ban on surgeries. This is in line with our broader human rights work on issues related to gender and sexuality. We are calling for a rights-based approach to medical practice and based on our research into this issue, we are not confident that criminalising such surgeries would achieve this.” We (and others) are now calling upon Amnesty (fulltext) to disclose said policy “related to gender and sexuality” as well as said research showing why criminalisation would allegedly not be effective to end IGM and the impunity of the perpetrators, and to ensure access to justice to survivors. To be continued …

Photo: Ditte Dyreborg (Danish Intersex Advocate), Daniela Truffer, Markus Bauer (StopIGM.org),
Small Luk (BBKCI Hong Kong) after Denmark Intersex NGO Briefing for CAT, Palais Wilson 13.11.2015

Press Release by StopIGM.org, 12.05.2017:

As an international intersex human rights NGO with German and Danish members and associates and instrumental in achieving so far 22 UN reprimands for intersex genital mutilations (IGM), including to Germany and Denmark, StopIGM.org warmly welcomes Amnesty International highlighting human rights violations of intersex people in their new report “First, do no harm. Ensuring the Rights of Children with Variations of Sex Characteristics in Denmark and Germany” (PDF). However, StopIGM.org remains deeply concerned that said Amnesty report

• fails to demand legal prohibition of IGM practices, thus falling short of demands of intersex people (e.g. Malta declaration) and UN treaty bodies (CRC, CAT, CEDAW, CRPD)
• fails to adequately consider the most important human rights violations and applicable human rights frameworks at stake, namely harmful practices (CRC art. 24.3, CEDAW art. 5, CEDAW/CRC Joint General Comment 31/18), torture or inhuman treatment (CAT art. 2, 12, 14, 16), and CRPD, CCPR
• fails to adequately consult intersex people, particularly IGM survivors and their organisations
• fails to recognise that intersex and IGM are NOT an LGBT, discrimination or healthcare issue, BUT CONSTITUTE genital mutilation, a harmful practice, inhuman treatment, torture …

StopIGM.org thus would like to kindly remind Amnesty International of two crucial UN verdicts, unfortunately both omitted in said Amnesty report:

• The Committee against Torture (CAT) explicitly obliged Denmark to “Take the necessary legislative, administrative and other measures to guarantee the respect for the physical integrity and autonomy of intersex persons and ensure that no one is subjected during infancy or childhood to unnecessary medical or surgical procedures” (CAT/C/DNK/CO/6-7, para 43 (a), 04.02.2016)

• The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) explicitly obliged Germany to “Adopt clear legislative provisions explicitly prohibiting the performance of unnecessary surgical or other medical treatment on intersex children” and “Ensure effective access to justice, including by amending the statute of limitations” (CEDAW/C/DEU/CO/7-8, para 24 (d+e), 03.03.2017)

Legislation to end IGM practices remains the most urgent intersex demand. Failing to adequately include it, but instead recommending legislation only regarding “discrimination” and “legal gender recognition” while at the same time leaving the prevention of IGM to “healthcare providers” and the “Ministry of Health” as proposed in said Amnesty report, inevitably prolongs the impunity of IGM perpetrators and accessories, and grossly fails intersex children and IGM survivors.

Amnesty International must do better in the future, including by adequately consulting IGM survivors and their organisations.

StopIGM.org demands the prohibition of forced genital surgeries on children and adolescents with Variations of Sex Anatomy and “Human Rights for Hermaphrodites too!”

Persons concerned shall later decide themselves, if they want surgeries or not, and if yes, which.

Kind regards

Daniela “Nella” Truffer, Markus Bauer
Founding members human rights NGO Zwischengeschlecht.org / StopIGM.org

Mobile +41 (0) 76 398 06 50
Mobile +41 (0) 78 829 12 60

presse_at_zwischengeschlecht.info

http://StopIGM.org

http://intersex.shadowreport.org

>>> ANSWERS see documented below in Comments

IGM Practices in Denmark: 2016 CRC Report
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM in Denmark • Complicity of the State • Harmful Practice
>>> Download as a PDF (633 kb)

IGM Practices in Germany: 2017 CEDAW Report
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM in Germany • Complicity of the State • Harmful Practice
>>> Download as PDF (519 kb)

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!

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

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

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