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CEDAW65 > The Netherlands questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations – Gov promises “discussions” – Reprimands expected today

March 21, 2021November 18, 2016 by StopIGM.org

At the 65th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), in addition to Switzerland, on Thursday 10 November also the Netherlands were questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations (>>> archived podcast of the entire session) – thanks to an >>> NGO report co-authored by The Netherlands Network Intersex/DSD Foundation (NNID).
We are expecting stern reprimands for IGM practices for both NL + CH, due TODAY 18 Nov on the CEDAW65 Homepage.

Read below the Unofficial Transcript of the Netherland’s Intersex Q&A courtesy of Miriam van der Have (NNID):

Session 1: 10-13h

Oby Nwankwo (CEDAW) (@41:40):

“It is reported that the right to determine one’s gender is not fully respected in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and this amounts to discrimination in law practice and policies. Intersex persons still need judicial approval, and transgender persons need an experts-letter from a doctor to get access to legal gender recognition. Intersex newborns in the Netherlands are still routinely submitted to medically unnecessary and irreversible surgeries and other normalizing treatments without the free and informed consent. The UN Rapporteur on Health and on Torture both recommends States [to] end these practices.

Are there any plans in […] place, to guarantee access to legal gender recognition for both intersex and transgender children and adults? Is there a new plan to implement mechanisms to protect intersex children against experimental medical treatments without their free and informed consent? And finally, are you planning to optimize law policy and practice to lower hate crime rates, and to ensure that human rights violations against them are investigated, and alleged perpetrators are prosecuted?“

Minister Jet Bussemaker (Head of the Netherlands’ Delegation, Ministry of Education, Culture and Science) (@58 min):

“… and then the question of Mrs. Nwankwo about the position on women and health, and child and adult […] unnecessary surgery, and good access to health. Since July 2014 changing one’s gender on the birth certificate has become an administrative act for which medical interventions are no longer needed. If, however, trans people wish to undergo surgery, so as to have their bodies resemble their perceived gender, they have that option. In all cases, free and fully informed consent is required. As for intersex people, on November 14th, an expert meeting organized by the ministry for public health, welfare and sport, is set to take place, where medical professions, interest groups, and policy makers will discuss this issue. So, in a very short term, next week, we will have an expert meeting to discuss the problems and the challenges relating to intersex people. The government will be happy to report about the progress being made at a later stage, after this meeting has taken place.

Then the question about how we prevent violence against ill-treatment of intersex children or intersex persons. The government has received signals that there are several issues concerning ill-treatment and violation of [the] rights of intersex persons – unfortunately. To discuss these issues, the government has organized this meeting I already mentioned, and this is … let me add that this meeting is also … I see it as a start of a process to gather more information on this issue, to determine what could be the best healthcare for intersex persons and to determine what the relevant stakeholders and the government can do – and as already said, we are happy to inform you later about the results.”

IGM = Violence, Torture and a Harmful Practice – NOT “Controversy or “Debate”! This blog hopes more details on actual outcomes of the mentioned “discussion” to emerge soon – and expects both the Netherlands and Switzerland to be sternly reprimanded for IGM practices later today!

IGM Practices in the Netherlands: 2016 CEDAW Report
“Violence against and ill-treatment of intersex children” (paras 34-38)
“Remedies for violations of the rights of intersex persons” (paras 39-41)
>>> Download as PDF (530 kb)

>>> CEDAW65: Switzerland questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilatons
>>> UN Press Release Highlights Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland

IGM Practices in Switzerland: 2016 CEDAW Report
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM in Switzerland • Complicity of the State • Harmful Practice
>>> Download as PDF (288 kb)

IGM as a Harmful Practice: 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

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 in Geneva 26.–27.10.2015
>>> Download PDF (831kb)

CEDAW65 > NGO Briefing and Committee Questions on Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland

March 21, 2021November 17, 2016 by StopIGM.org

At the 65th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), before Switzerland was questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations, NGOs had the possibility to brief CEDAW, and Committee experts to ask questions (>>> archived podcast of the entire briefing).

Read below the 2-minutes oral statement (PDF) by Daniela Truffer on behalf of StopIGM.org, and the ensuing Q&A:

Daniela Truffer (StopIGM.org) (@ 22 min):

“Thank you, Madame Chair.

I was born 1965 in Switzerland, with so called “ambiguous” genitalia. The doctors couldn‘t tell if I was a girl or a boy.

First they cut me open between my legs to see if they find a vagina.

At two months they opened my abdomen and found healthy testes, which they threw in the garbage bin, without telling my parents.

At seven they cut my genital to make me look more like a girl, allegedly with my consent.

Today they probably would make a boy out of me, by even more surgeries.

The doctors always lied to me and my parents. I spent my life in fear, pain and shame. I couldn’t talk to anybody. Only at 35 I discovered that I am not alone and that there are self-help groups.

As substantiated in our NGO report [1], in Switzerland all forms of Intersex Genital Mutilations are still regularly perpetrated with impunity in public University and Cantonal Children’s Clinics, and paid for by the Swiss federal Disability Insurance. On the other hand, adequate psychosocial support is still not available.

IGM practices in Switzerland have been considered by both CRC [2] and CAT [3] as “ill-treatment” and “harmful practice”, referring to the CEDAW-CRC Joint general recommendation.

And during the previous session, also this Committee [4] considered IGM as a “harmful practice”. [5]

To this day, in Switzerland there is no law to protect intersex children from these practices. The Swiss Government still refuses to acknowledge that this is an ongoing human rights issue, but claims this happened only “in the past”. [6]

We therefore hope that the Committee will ask the Swiss delegation tough questions on IGM, and will sternly remind Switzerland of its obligations under the Convention and the CEDAW-CRC Joint general recommendation.

Thank you.”

[1] http://intersex.shadowreport.org/public/2016-CEDAW-Swiss-NGO-Zwischengeschlecht-Intersex-IGM.pdf
[2] CRC/C/CHE/CO/2-4, paras. 42-43
[3] CAT/C/CHE/CO/7, para. 20
[4] CEDAW/C/FRA/CO/7-8, paras. 17e-f + 18e-f
[5] See also UN-COE-ACHPR-IACHR Joint Statement for Intersex Awareness Day 2016, “End violence and harmful medical practices on intersex children and adults”: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=20739&LangID=E
[6] https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/documentation/communiques.msg-id-62507.html

Lilian Hofmeister (CEDAW) (@ 50 min):

“Thank you very much, Madame Chair. I have a questions to the NGOs of Switzerland concerning IGM. How are babies treated by the medical staff in Switzerland, and what is the role of their parents? Thank you.”

Daniela Truffer (StopIGM.org) (@ 60 min):

“Thank you. An intersex child in Switzerland is still regarded as having a medical issue and being disordered, and then parents are put under pressure to perform cosmetic surgery.

The rationale of the doctors is that else the child will suffer psychologically, have psychological problems, and may be teased in school. Parents are so pressured to consent to unnecessary surgery despite that this violates the rights of the child to physical integrity and self-determination.

Doctors argue that it’s parents who want the surgery, but I am in contact with parents that tell otherwise. Actually, three days ago a mother I know called me on the phone and said that the doctors, she and her husband don’t want a surgery, but the doctors say that if you don’t [do] surgery on your child, he will have psychological problems, and in this case it was about hypospadias, that a boy has to be able to pee standing, otherwise he will be unhappy. And at the same time doctors admit in the media that they continue to do surgeries, and like I said before, but it’s the parents, who want the surgery, they say, but it’s not true.”

>>> CEDAW65: Switzerland questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilatons
>>> UN Press Release Highlights Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland

Happy Intersex Solidarity Day 2016!

March 21, 2021November 8, 2016 by StopIGM.org

For today’s Intersex Solidarity Day, StopIGM.org is releasing 3 virtual stickers to raise awareness of the ongoing struggle of intersex people to end [WARNING!!!] Intersex Genital Mutilations.

They include photos taken in Switzerland on occasion a paceful vigil in honour of the Intersex Awareness Day 2016, celebrating 20 years of nonviolent intersex protests.

The vigil took place outside the “Kispi-Ball”, an annual fundraiser of the Zurich University children’s Hospital – and in response to the hospital, after starting a remarkable and rightully much lauded process of coming to terms with past IGM practices 1954-70, last spring nonetheless destroying 90% of their medical files concerning [WARNING!!!] IGM 1 (“masculinising” genital surgery, including “hypospadias repair”). And on top the hospital went on to repeatedly claim in the media not doing IGM surgeries anymore, which unfortunately is far from the truth … 🙁

Unfortunately neither the police nor the posh hotel hosting the fundraiser wanted to allow us holding our nonviolent vigil in remembrance of the survivors and victims of IGM practices past and present – but as you can see, we just did it anyway! 🙂

Thanks to everybody who participated, gave us a thumbs up other otherwise expressed their solidarity!

Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland: 2016 CEDAW
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM in Switzerland • Complicity of the State • Harmful Practice
>>> Download as PDF (288 kb)

UN Press Release Highlights Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland

March 21, 2021November 3, 2016 by StopIGM.org

The entire CEDAW meeting with NGOs was also transmitted live and is now archived at webtv.un.org

>>> The UN press release on the informal meeting of the Committee on the Elimination of the Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) with NGOs from Argentina, Switzerland, Honduras and Armenia held last Monday 31.10.2016 highlights the oral statement by StopIGM.org’s Daniela Truffer on Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland, as well as the ensuing question by Committee expert Lilian Hofmeister and Daniela’s reply:

Statements by Non-Governmental Organizations

Switzerland

StopIGM.org said that all forms of intersex genital mutilations were still regularly perpetrated with impunity in public universities and cantonal children’s clinics, and paid for by the Swiss Disability Insurance. Adequate psychological support was not available, and there was no law to protect intersex children from those practices. The Government refused to acknowledge that this was an ongoing human rights issue, claiming that it had happened only in the past.

Questions by Committee Members

On Switzerland, Experts asked […] How were intersex babies treated by the medical staff and what was the role of the parents?

Responses by Non-governmental Organizations

[…] in Switzerland […] An intersex child was still regarded as being disordered and parents were under pressure to undertake cosmetic surgery, with doctors saying that the child would otherwise suffer psychologically. Parents were pressured to agree to the surgery which violated the rights of the child.

>>> REPORT: Switzerland questioned over IGM practices by CEDAW – Gov denies

CEDAW65 > Switzerland questioned by UN over Intersex Genital Mutilations for 3rd time – Gov denies yet again!

March 21, 2021November 2, 2016 by StopIGM.org

>>> CEDAW65 > NGO Briefing on Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland
>>> UN Press Release Highlights Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland

UN-CEDAW 65th Session @ Palais des Nations 02.11.2016, 09:54h: Getting ready …

Today it’s the turn of Switzerland to be questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations at the 65th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) on Wed 2 November 10-13h CET + 15–17h CET
>>> Podcast Session 1 | Session 2 StopIGM.org is reporting LIVE from Palais des Nations in Geneva, expecting tough questions, and yet another reprimand for IGM at the end of the session on 18 Nov.

Session 1: 10-13h

11:28h: “Intersexual persons” has just been mentioned briefly by the delegation under “identity” to illustrate “progress” …

12:26h: YAY!! CEDAW expert and country co-rapporteur Lilian Hofmeister just brought up “Intersex Genital Mutilations” perpetrated in “Cantonal hospitals”, describing them as a “harmful practice” and an “undoubtedly severe human rights violation”, and announces follow-up questions later! Unofficial Transcription:

“Thank you, Madame Chair. Concerning harmful practices, I would like to add some information about intersex persons. They are often suffering from so called Intersex Genital Mutilation practiced by the medical staff of Cantonal Children’s Hospitals in Switzerland. This is undoubtedly a severe human rights violation. Concerning the methods, I would like to pose follow-up questions under article 12.”

12:32h: Swiss Head of Delegation Sylvie Durrer, Director of the Federal Bureau for Equality (EGB) at the the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), immediately issued yet another full denial, followed by the usual pinkwashing of IGM we’ve come to expect from state reperesentatives … Unofficial Transcription of UN simultaneous translation from original french:

“Next, the question on intersex persons. First of all, I would like to say that our government has clearly confirmed on various occasions that these people warrant the respect and comprehension of society with regards to the problems that they are facing. They have full rights to have their physical and psychological integrity upheld, that is an extremely important point for us.

In April 2005 there was a decree, and actions were taken to ensure that we are in coordination with the Council of Europe’s work in this area. We are also combating discrimination based on sexual orientation and sexual identity, and we have had various parliamentary interventions on this matter.

The National Committee has also been dealing with the matter, it has issued various recommendations. The government has considered that these recommendations were mainly already implemented or currently being implemented, for example they concern the simplification of, in terms of the laws that apply to modification of gender cases and any discrimination that may arise.

For the government all of these measures are equally important, and they have already been implemented or they are currently being implemented. Furthermore, the Federal Council also invites doctors to contribute to awareness raising themselves, in particular by drafting guidelines and by adapting training. It has been seen that interdisciplinary working groups were already created or have been, are currently been created, are playing an extremely important role on this matter.

Finally, it’s very important for people concerned by this matter to play their fully fledged role in raising awareness about this problem, to speak about their experience and their point of view.

I think it’s very important for dialogue to continue between the different stakeholders to deal with this problem in a respectful interdisciplinary way.”

Session 2: 15-17h

15:29h: YAY!! Committee expert and Co-rapporteur Louiza Chalal (of CEDAW64 France fame) asks a question on redress for intersex persons, is there a law planned? Unofficial translation from original French:

“As for intersex genital mutilation, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has already criticised the State party for failing to protect the right of intersex persons to physical integrity and legal access to remedies and justice for all victims. Do you intend to pass a law to establish a simple and quick procedure for changing sex [registration] that would give intersex children the right to declare their status as adults?

Does sexual health education in school curricula include modules on the issue of sexual orientation and gender identity? In addition, is there a specific health service for LGBT persons? Are doctors and health-care staff trained in sexual orientation and gender identity?”

16:01h: Swiss Head of Delegation Sylvie Durrer, Director of the Federal Bureau for Equality (EGB) at the the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), announces answer on “intersex or transgender”. Unofficial translation from original French:

“You also asked a question about the situation of intersex or transgender people and their ability to change their sex, officially their sex or their name relatively easily. I would like to give the floor to the Federal Office of Justice on this point.”

16:01h: A speaker from Swiss Departement of Justice then only answers on gender markers and trans procedures … Unofficial translation from original French:

“In principle, in Switzerland, every person is entered in the civil register at birth with his or her full identity, in particular surname, first name, gender and parentage. Like the legislation of the European states, Swiss law has a binary system, whereby each person is assigned either to the male or female sex depending on medical findings. At the present time, sex reassignment presupposes a legal procedure. As far as transgender persons are concerned, the Federal Office of Civil Status has published a legal notice dated 1 February 2012. This notice requests the cantonal civil registry authorities not to require surgical interventions aimed at sterility or the construction of genital organs of the opposite sex as a precondition for legal sex reassignment. This opinion also pronounces against the dissolution of marriage or registered partnership against the will of the persons concerned. The practice of the Swiss authorities – excuse me? [Somebody from the delegation interjects in background: “shorten”] OK – So, the Federal Council has announced that it will draft a law on a simplified procedure for the registration of sex reassignment in the civil register. Thank you.”

16:03h: YAY!! CEDAW expert and country co-rapporteur Lilian Hofmeister follows up on intersex persons after IGM, they have a problems with access of justice, is there any law considered to prolong statutes of limitations? Inofficial transcription:

“Thank you very much, Madame Chair. And one question to article 12, concerning intersex persons after IGM. They have a problem with the access to justice. Is there any legislative project to delete time limitations which work against them? Thank you.”

16:05h: Swiss Head of Delegation Sylvie Durrer, Director of the Federal Bureau for Equality (EGB) at the the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), ask to repeat the question on intersex and statutes of limitations, as they did not understand? Unofficial translation from original French:

“Finally, you asked one last question, but could I ask you to rephrase it, because it concerns the statute of limitations. I’m not sure I understood it correctly.”

16:06h: CEDAW expert and country co-rapporteur Lilian Hofmeister explains again, interjected by delegation members … Unofficial Transcription / Translation:

“In German “Verjährung”, time limitations, Verjährung, eines Anspruchs. Then you can not go to the court, because time is lost”

Delegation member [from original French]: “Yes, the statute of limitations for wages, for making complaints about wage discrimination is five years, it’s in the Code of Obligations.”

Lilian Hofmeister [without microphone]: “… about IGM … IGM …”

Delegation member [from original French]: “IGM …”

Lilian Hofmeister: The question was concerning IGM persons, after, also intersex persons after IGM. They often lost the time, and didn’t make their complaints early enough, so they had no access, because of non-information.”

16:07h: Swiss Head of Delegation Sylvie Durrer, Director of the Federal Bureau for Equality (EGB) at the the Federal Department of Home Affairs (FDHA), asks other delegation members if anyone in the delegation could answer on this? Eventually announces delegation will give answer in writing after the session. Unofficial translation from original French:

“Does anyone in the delegation have any information on this point, so it concerns the situations of intersex persons who have allegedly been victims of injury and who would like to take action to obtain reparation, does anyone know?”

Unknown delegation member: “But against who?”

Swiss Head of Delegation Sylvie Durrer: “Against their parents, against the doctors, against the hospital exactly, against – apparently we don’t have this answer directly in the delegation. I propose that we seek the information and that we provide you with a written response within the deadline.”

>>> The written additional answer (French, PDF) essentially repeated the (non-)answer by the Gov on the National Ethics Commission (NEK-CNE) given last summer and criticised in the NGO report (PDF, see p. 7, 13), counterfactually claiming IGM to be “a thing of the past” all recommendations to be already implemented, and in addition counterfactually claimed IGM practices would in part be covered by the Swiss Anti-FGM Law, while in truth the parliament and government rejected suggestions to include IGM in this law …

>>> CEDAW65 > NGO Briefing on Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland
>>> UN Press Release Highlights Intersex Genital Mutilations in Switzerland

>>> CEDAW65 > The Netherlands questioned over 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 is IGM?
>>> Download PDF (3.65 MB) >>> Table of Contents

IGM as a Harmful Practice: 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

UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR: “End violence and harmful medical practices on intersex people” – Intersex Awareness Day 2016

December 3, 2023October 28, 2016 by StopIGM.org

“States must, as a matter of urgency, prohibit medically unnecessary surgery and procedures on intersex children. They must uphold the autonomy of intersex adults and children and their rights to health, to physical and mental integrity, to live free from violence and harmful practices and to be free from torture and ill-treatment. Intersex children and their parents should be provided with support and counselling, including from peers. […]

States should investigate human rights violations against intersex people, hold those found guilty of perpetrating such violations accountable and provide intersex people subjected to abuse with redress and compensation.”

>> This fabulous joint statement (fr|es) by 11 human rights agencies and experts around the world from the UN (including CAT, CRC, CRPD, SPT, SRT, SRSG VAC), the Council of Europe (COE), the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is by far the most powerful of all declarations we’ve seen so far around this year’s Intersex Awareness Day. Please share (again)!

• Intersex Awareness Day 2013
• Intersex Awareness Day 2015
• Intersex Awareness Day 2017
• Intersex Awareness Day 2018
• Intersex Awareness Day 2019
• Intersex Awareness Day 2023

IAD 2016: Soon 20 UN Reprimands for Intersex Genital Mutilations!

March 21, 2021October 26, 2016 by StopIGM.org

[ Archived of original version of 26.10.2016 >>> updated current list here ]

Today on Intersex Awareness Day 2016, we are celebrating

• 20 years of nonviolent intersex protests, and

• soon 20 UN reprimands for Intersex Genital Mutilations, expected no later than early March next year – with even more already in the making, also way beyond 2017!

The following is a breakdown of all previous UN reprimands – with soon 14 countries in Europe, South America, Asia, Africa and Oceania reprimanded so far – plus the very next to follow, including links to all binding recommendations in full:

IGM Practices: UN Reprimands by Treaty Body, Year and Country

• Committee against Torture (CAT) “inhuman treatment”:
   2011: Germany
   2015: Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong
   2016: France
ca. 2018: U.S.A.? Australia?

• Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC) “harmful practice”:
2015: Switzerland, Chile
2016: France, Ireland, UK, Nepal, New Zealand, South Africa

• Committee for Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) “violation of integrity”:
2015: Germany
2016: Chile, Italy, Uruguay

• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) “harmful practice”:
2016: France, Switzerland, Netherlands

• Human Rights Committee (HRCttee – CCPR) “non-therapeutic experimentation“:
2017: Switzerland?

On 26 October, Intersex People, Survivors, Partners, Families, Friends and Allies around the globe celebrate Intersex Awareness Day, commemorating the very first INTERSEX PROTEST in Boston in 1996 against the Annual Convention of the American Academy of Padiatrics (AAP), and in support of over 20 Years of Organised Struggle to End INTERSEX GENITAL MUTILATIONS.

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 is a Harmful Practice
>>> Download PDF (3.14 MB) >>> Table of Contents

>>> Download PDF (831kb)

50 UN Reprimands for Intersex Genital Mutilation – and Counting …

May 24, 2025October 26, 2016 by StopIGM.org

[ Last updated 03.03.2021 ]

This reguarly updated list collects all reprimands by UN Treaty bodies condemning Intersex Genital Mutilations as a serious violation of non-derogable human rights.

The current count is 50 UN Treaty body reprimands for IGM practices to 26 countries in Europe (15 countries), South America (4), Asia (3), Oceania (2) and Africa (2).

The following is a breakdown of all current reprimands, including the Convention articles and General comments referred to, and links to all binding recommendations in full, followed by total statistic overviews per year, region/country and Treaty body/Convention:

        TABLE OF CONTENTS:
   1. IGM Practices: UN Reprimands by Treaty Body, Year and Country
        2. Total UN Reprimands for IGM by Year
        3. Total UN Reprimands for IGM by Region and Country
        4. Total UN Reprimands for IGM by Treaty Body / Convention

1. IGM Practices: UN Reprimands by Treaty Body, Year and Country

• Committee against Torture (CAT)
“Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment” (CAT art. 2, 12, 14, 16)
[General comments No. 2 (implementation of art. 2) + No. 3 (implementation of art. 14)]
2011: Germany
2015: Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong
2016: France
2018: Netherlands
2019: UK

• Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC)
“Harmful practice” (CRC art. 24(3) in conjunction with General comment No. 18):
2015: Switzerland, Chile
2016: France, Ireland, UK, Nepal, New Zealand, South Africa
2017: Denmark
2018: Spain, Argentina
2019: Belgium, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Australia
2020: Austria

• Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
“Integrity of the person” (art. 17), “exploitation, violence and abuse” (CRPD art. 16):
2015: Germany
2016: Chile, Italy, Uruguay
2017: UK, Morocco
2019: India, Australia

• Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
“Harmful practice” (CEDAW art. 5 in conjunction with General recommendation No. 31):
2016: France, Switzerland, Netherlands
2017: Germany, Ireland
2018: Chile, Luxembourg, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, Liechtenstein, Nepal

• Human Rights Committee (HRCttee – CCPR)
“Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment”, “harmful practice”,
“non-consensual medical or scientific experimentation“ (CCPR art. 2, 3, 7, 24, 26)
2017: Switzerland, Australia
2019: Belgium, Mexico
2020: Portugal

2. Total UN Reprimands for IGM by Year

2009:   0 (first intersex NGO report considered by a UN Treaty body)
2010:   0
2011:   1
2012:   0
2013:   0
2014:   0
2015:   7   (start of intersex NGO reports by StopIGM.org being considered)
2016: 13
2017:   7   (continued massive instrumentalising and misrepresentation by LGBT NGOs)
2018: 10
2019: 10
2020:   1 (all Treaty Body Sessions suspended March 13 due to Covid-19)

3. Total UN Reprimands for IGM by Region and Country

Europe (15 countries, 31 reprimands):
Switzerland (4 reprimands), France (3), Germany (3), UK (3), Ireland (2), Denmark (2), Netherlands (2), Italy (2), Belgium (2), Austria (2), Portugal (2), Spain (1), Luxembourg (1), Liechtenstein (1), Malta (1)

South America (4 contries, 6 reprimands):
Chile (3 reprimands), Mexico (2), Uruguay (1), Argentina (1)

Asia (3 countries, 4 reprimands):
Nepal (2 reprimands), Hong Kong (1), India (1)

Africa (2 countries, 2 reprimands):
South Africa (1 reprimand), Morocco (1)

Oceania (2 countries, 6 reprimands):
Australia (4), New Zealand (2 reprimands)

4. Total UN Reprimands for IGM by Treaty Body / Convention

Committee on the Right of the Child (CRC): 17
Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW): 12
Committee against Torture (CAT): 8
Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD): 8
Human Rights Committee (HRCttee – CCPR): 5

NOTE: This list was first published on IAD 2016: On 26 October, Intersex People, Survivors, Partners, Families, Friends and Allies around the globe celebrate Intersex Awareness Day, commemorating the very first INTERSEX PROTEST in Boston in 1996 against the Annual Convention of the American Academy of Padiatrics (AAP), and in support of over 20 Years of Organised Struggle to End INTERSEX GENITAL MUTILATIONS.

>>> Intersex human rights at the UN are under attack!!!

Last week my heart stopped beating

March 21, 2021October 23, 2016 by StopIGM.org

Photo: StopIGM.org’s Daniela Truffer in the Cologne Courthouse, 06.02.2008, on occasion of the historical win of 100’000 Euros damages for non-consensual unnecessary surgery by intersex claimant Christiane Völling (front right, cut) and her lawyer Georg Groth (back, with hat). Welcome back to the land of the living, Daniela!

By Daniela Truffer

Last week my heart stopped beating. I had spent weeks denying the fact that I had to go to the hospital, out of my fear of doctors in general and hospitals in particular. In the end I couldn’t even walk five minutes with my dog without being out of breath and having serious chest pain.

But still, Markus had to drag me to the Cardiology Department at the University Hospital of Zurich (where I had been due for my bi-annual check-up since January) for an ultrasound, where the problem was detected at once: tachycardia. Probably due to my condition or a previous surgical scar, my heart had kind of short circuited, with an electric current circling in it at a fixed speed, every second round triggering a heart beat overriding the usual impulses, leading to my heart running at a constant rate of 134 all the time.

Now my heart was weakened because of the effort, and didn’t work properly anymore. The doctors told me that they had to perform a cardioversion urgently, a medical procedure to convert my unhealthily fast heart rate to a regular rhythm by applying an electric shock to stop the circling current, a procedure they would do about daily.

I was terrified, thought of running out, accepting the alternative of dying within weeks, better than being treated in a hospital bed again (after 33 years of luck). Just entering a hospital and walking through the corridors makes me sick, every time.

Then the fear of dying gained the upper hand.

I insisted on Markus being present all the time, even during the procedure, and the doctors finally accepted, because I told them of my phobia of doctors and hospitals. (They knew about my intersex status from the medical record, and obviously also about my opinion on the surgeries in the media.)

I called my parents, old memories of my childhood in hospitals and their helplessness emerged, we cried together. They came to Zurich the next day, when the procedure was performed.

I was in tears out of fear, when the sedative hit. Markus told me, that after the electric shock was given, my heart beat stopped for a while, but then started again – thankfully triggered again by the regular impulses.

When I woke up, Markus was there and my parents, and I was relieved beyond all measure. Walking out of the hospital was like starting a new life.

Of course it was not over yet, as due to my heart now starting to beat stronger again, during the night my lungs started filling with water, making it impossible to lay down. But with appropriate medication, this too resolved eventually, and three days later I could get my first night of proper sleep since weeks.

Now I should do a bit more sport. Self-check my heart regularly. Not miss my bi-annual check-ups. Work more on my compulsive self-sabotaging behaviour. And try to avoid activities known to entail exposure to unhealthy levels of self-exploitation, burn out, mobbing, marginalisation, resentment, you name it. I wish.

>>> Bearing withess to IGM practices: Daniela’s personal story (PDF)

Suisse > Mutilations intersexes: Traitement du passé sans les personnes concernées, et par la destruction des dossiers?

January 31, 2022October 20, 2016 by StopIGM.org

Kispi Zurich, 31.10.2013: Directeur Malagoli lit le 2e appel pour un traitement du passé

Communiqué de StopIGM.org:

En 2012 et 2013, Zwischengeschlecht.org / StopIGM.org a proposé de faire une recherche historique approfondie sur les mutilations génitales intersexes à l’Hôpital des Enfants et l’Université de Zurich, en particulier sur les amputations du clitoris, et de commencer un traitement du passé.

En 2014 l’Hôpital des Enfants de Zurich (Kinderspital ou “Kispi”) a commencé une recherche historique avec une étude pilote sur les dossiers medicaux 1945-70 qui a été étendue en 2015 (PDF, en allemand).

Une deuxième étude du Kispi, cette fois de deux ans, a commencé aussi en 2015.

Maintenant le Fonds National Suisse de la Recherche Scientifique (FNS) a annoncé que l’Hôpital des Enfants et l’Université de Zurich ont commencé une troisième “recherche interdisciplinaire” 2016-18 avec le financement du FNS de 500’000 francs suisses.

StopIGM.org salue la continuation de la recherche historique approfondie sur la question des traitements non-consentis sur les enfants intersexes 1945-70, et on espère que d’autres hôpitaux vont suivre.

Malheureusement, ce nouveau projet soulève toutefois des questions délicates:

On demande une représentation adéquate des personnes concernées et leurs organisations!

Le Fonds National promet une “étude non-partisan” et une “vision équilibrée qui tiendra compte du point de vue de toutes les parties concernées”.

Mais “l’équipe interdisciplinaire” du projet est constituée majoritairement de médecins de l’hôpital des enfants de Zurich, et les personnes concernées et leurs associations ne sont pas représentées. Se pose alors la question d’une représentation adéquate des personnes concernées.

Traitement du passé par destruction des dossiers médicaux?

En plus on est vivement préoccupés qu’apparemment 90% des dossiers médicaux concernant des opérations génitales forcées soi-disant “virilisantes” ont été triés et détruits avant le début du projet. Détruire des dossiers – ce n’est pas le traitement du passé que les personnes concernées exigent.

Il faut un vrai traitement du passé avec la représentation adéquate des personnes concernées et leurs associations, par une Commission Vérité et Réconciliation.
Il faut que le gouvernement et les médecins reconnaissent la souffrance que les traitements forcées ont infligées à des personnes intersexes.
Et, il faut assurer la réparation aux victimes, comme préconisé par la Commission nationale d’éthique, et les Comités de l’ONU des Droits de l’Enfant et contre la Torture.

La 1e manif intersexe devant le Kispi Zurich dans la Télé Suisse, 08.07.2008

Conseil Fédéral: Operations forcées seulement “par le passé”, les recommandations de la Commission nationale d’éthique “déjà mises en œuvre”

En Juillet de cette année, le Conseil Fédéral (le gouvernement de la Suisse) a finalement publié une prise de position sur les recommandations de la Commission nationale d’éthique (NEK-CNE) émises en 2012 (PDF).

Selon le Conseil Fédéral les opérations génitales et autre traitement forcé ont eu lieux que “par le passé” et la “majorité des recommandations émises par la CNE […] sont mises en œuvre ou en passe de l’être”.

La Commission nationale d’éthique a préconisé une revue légale et des responsibilités, délais de prescription et droit pénal, pour assurer la réparation aux victimes adultes, et un soutien psychosocial adéquat aux familles. Une revue légale et un soutien adéquat ont aussi été préconisé par le Comité des Droit de l’Enfant et le Comité contre la Torture de l’ONU.

Pendant que le Conseil fédéral refuse complètement un soutien psychosocial, les opérations forcées sur les bébés intersexes sont toujours pris en charge par l’assurance-invalidité.

L’ONU condamne les Mutilations Génitales Intersexes en Suisse et ailleurs – prochaine réprimande en Novembre

Le Comité de l’ONU des droits de l’enfant (CRC) a déjà réprimandé la Suisse pour les pratiques MGI, les qualifiant comme “pratique préjudiciable” (comme les mutilations génitales féminines), secondé par Comité contre la torture (CAT), qui les a condamnés comme des des “traitements inhumains” en violation de la prohibition de la torture.

Début Novembre la Suisse sera questionnée par le Comité des Droits des Femmes (CEDAW) sur les mutilations génitales des enfants intersexes. StopIGM.org espère que le Comité va de nouveau condamner ces traitements comme “pratique préjudiciable”, et que la Suisse va être réprimandée pour la troisième fois, marquant la 19e reprimande d’un Comité de l’ONU pour les Mutilations Génitales Intersexes (MGI).

La Manif devant le Kispi du 31.10.2013 sur Al Jazeera

>>> Mutilations Intersexes : « Seule la peur du juge va bouger les choses »
>>> Pratique préjudiciable: La France réprimandée sur les MGI pour la 3e fois