StopIGM.org

Update 09.06.2016: DONE!!! Both UK + Nepal sternly reprimanded by UN-CRC! 

Photo: Intersex Protest vs. Royal College of Surgeons of England + ‘ISHID’ Genital Mutilators, London 18.09.2011

>>> That’s why the UK will be reprimanded for Intersex Genital Mutilations by UN-CRC
>>> Press Release 03.06.2016: Reprimands to UK + Nepal postponed to 09.03.2016

Press Release by StopIGM.org 02.06.2016

Tomorrow Friday 3 Thursday 9 June, the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) will publish its latest binding recommendations. During its 72nd session in Geneva, the Committee expertly questioned both the UK and Nepal over their complicity in serious human rights violations of intersex children, with both State parties failing to provide satisfactory answers. Intersex advocates are expecting both the UK and Nepal to be sternly reprimanded for Intersex Genital Mutilations, plus Nepal additionally for permitting massive bullying of intersex children in schools.

Intersex Genital Mutilations in the UK: 2016 UN-CRC Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • A Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.60 MB) 

Intersex Genital Mutilations, Stigma and Bullying in Nepal
1.  Background: 1st Intersex Workshop, Intersex Stories Book, 2016 CRC NGO Report
2.  Intersex Genital Mutilations in Nepali Paediatric Hospitals
3.  Denial of Needed Health Care      4.  Stigma, Bullying and Isolation 

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) condemns IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over 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

Témoignages sur MGI, 71ème Session du Comité de l’ONU des droits de l’enfant CRC:
Daniela Truffer (StopIGM.org), Vincent Guillot (France), Gavan Coleman (Irlande),
Markus Bauer (StopIGM.org, photo) au Palais des Nations, Genève 12.01.2016

Dans le journal et sur le site de la Libération est paru une tribune excellente d’un collectif de défenseurs des droits des intersexes.

Voilà le commentaire qu’on a envoyé à la rédaction de la Libération:

Réponse Tribune Libération “Stop aux mutilations des personnes intersexuées”
http://www.liberation.fr/debats/2016/05/31/stop-aux-mutilations-des-personnes-intersexuees_1456398

Bravo pour critiquer les mutilations génitales intersexes!

En plus du Comité contre la torture (CAT), aussi le Comité de l’ONU des droits de l’enfant (CRC) a déclaré les mutilations génitales intersexes en France comme “pratique préjudiciable” (comme les mutilations génitales féminines) et comme “violence contre des enfants” et a obligé la France d'”arrêter” les “chirurgies non-nécessaires” sur les enfants intersexués (CRC/C/FRA/CO/5, § 48), se référant à l’art. 24 para 3 CRC en liaison avec la Recommandation générale/Observation générale conjointe no 31 du Comité pour l’élimination de la discrimination à l’égard des femmes (CEDAW) et no 18 du Comité des droits de l’enfant (CRC) sur les pratiques préjudiciables (2014).

“Traitements inhumains” (CAT) et “pratiques préjudiciables” (CRC) sont tous deux des importants cadres des droits humains, qui également contiennent des mesures législatives, application de la loi, collecte des données et monitoring.

Déjà 12 fois des organes de traités des Nations Unis on réprimandé des pays pour les mutilations génitales intersexes.

Il est plus que temps d’adresser ces violations graves des droits des personnes et en particulièrement des enfants intersexuées pour ce qu’ils sont: des crimes graves.

Meilleures salutations

Daniela Truffer, Markus Bauer (co-fondateurs StopIGM.org)

Voi aussi:
• MGI = “Pratique Préjudiciable” + “Violence”: UN-CRC réprimande la France
• Mutilations Génitales Intersexes: La France questionnée par UN-CRC
• La Ministre Bloque et Detourne – Transcriptions des Questions et Réponses MGI  
• MGI = “Traitement Inhumain” + “Torture”: UN-CAT réprimande la France
• Le Comité de l’ ONU contre la Torture questionne la France sur les MGI – Transcriptions
• Mutilations Intersexes : « Seule la peur du juge va bouger les choses »
• « En France, aucune loi protège les enfants intersexes des mutilations quotidiennes »
• Communiqué de Presse de l’ONU aborde les Mutilations Génitales Intersexes en France
• « Les médecins français consciemment la question des droits des enfants intersexes »
• C’est pourquoi le Comité contre la Torture va condamner la France pour les MGI 

Intersex Genital Mutilations in France: CRC NGO Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Children With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? •Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.41 MB)

Intersex Genital Mutilations in France: CAT NGO Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • Inhuman Treatment
>>>  Download (PDF 3.71 MB)

Photo: Intersex protest vs. Royal College of Surgeons of England + ‘I$HID’ genital mutilators, with Open Letters to be delivered to ‘ISHID’ and RCS, London 18 .09.2011

Press Release by StopIGM.org 03.06.2016

UPDATE: As StopIGM.org has been informed, the publication of the ‘Concluding Observations’ by the UN Committee on the rights of the Child (CRC) including reprimands to the UK and Nepal for complicity in Intersex Genital Mutilations (IGM) and bullying of intersex children in schools has been rescheduled to THURSDAY 9 JUNE. UN-CRC questioned both the UK and Nepal over IGM practices and other human rights violations of intersex children during its 72nd session, with both state parties failing to provide satisfactory answers. UN treaty bodies including CRC have so far issued 12 reprimands for IGM to complicit states. >>> more info

StopIGM.org, IntersexUK, The UK Intersex Association and Leslie Jaye, Esan Regmi and Parsu Ram Rai demand 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    +41 76 398 06 50
Markus Bauer    +41 78 829 12 60
Founding members StopIGM.org / Zwischengeschlecht.org

Contact IntersexUK: info@intersexuk.org
Contact UK Intersex Association: +44 78 3119 6143

presse@zwischengeschlecht.info
http://StopIGM.org

IGM Practices in the UK: 2016 UN-CRC Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • A Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.60 MB) 

IGM Practices, Stigma and Bullying in Nepal
1.  Background: 1st Intersex Workshop, Intersex Stories Book, 2016 CRC NGO Report
2.  Intersex Genital Mutilations in Nepali Paediatric Hospitals
3.  Denial of Needed Health Care      4.  Stigma, Bullying and Isolation 

 

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 2011
Thanks to Richard Duncker (MenDoComplain)
>>> on Youtube

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) condemns IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

Paul Kissack, Head of UK delegation during 1st session, Palais Wilson 23.05.2016
(Lower right corner: Kirsten Sandberg, Committee Co-Rapporteur on the UK)
>>> Unofficial Transcription   >>> IGM in the UK: Background + Quotes

Background: The UN Condemn Intersex Genital Mutilations

Typical forms of IGM practices include involuntary ‘masculinising’ and ‘feminising’ genital surgery, sterilising procedures, imposition of hormones, forced genital exams, vaginal dilations, medical display, withholding information from patients and parents, human experimentation and denial of needed health care.

IGM Practices cause known lifelong severe physical and psychological pain and suffering, including loss or impairment of sexual sensation, painful scarring, painful intercourse, incontinence, urethral strictures, impairment or loss of  reproductive capabilities, lifelong dependency of artificial hormones, significantly elevated rates of self-harming behaviour and suicidal tendencies, lifelong mental suffering and trauma, increased sexual anxieties, less sexual activity.

Since 1950, IGM has been practised systematically and on an industrial scale allover the ‘developed world,’ with all typical IGM forms still practised today. Parents and children are misinformed, kept in the dark, sworn to secrecy, kept isolated and denied appropriate support.

For more than 20 years, survivors have criticised IGM practices as harmful and traumatising, as a fundamental human rights violation, as a form of genital mutilation, torture and child sexual abuse, and called for legislation to end it and to ensure remedies.

12 Reprimands over IGM Practices – And counting …

So far, UN Treaty bodies have issued 12 verdicts condemning IGM:

The UN Committee against Torture (CAT) recognises IGM practices as constituting at least ‘inhuman treatment’ in violation of the Convention against Torture, and since 2011 has reprimanded Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong and France.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has repeatedly criticised IGM as ‘violence’ and a ‘harmful practice’, and thus comparable to Female Genital Mutilation, and since 2015 has reprimanded Switzerland, Chile, Ireland and France.

The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) also considers IGM as ‘inhuman treatment’ and since 2015 has reprimanded Germany and Chile.

In all above 12 verdicts, the Committes issued binding recommendations to take legislative action to end the practice and to ensure access to redress and justice for IGM survivors.

In addition, the UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) as the governing body of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) is currently investigating IGM and has called on Switzerland to disclose statistics.

Other international human rights bodies to condemn IGM practices so far include WHO, UNICEF, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

IGM Practices in the UK: 2016 UN-CRC Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • A Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.60 MB) 

  Intersex Genital Mutilations, Stigma and Bullying in Nepal
   1.  Background: 1st Intersex Workshop, Intersex Stories Book, 2016 CRC NGO Report
2.  Intersex Genital Mutilations in Nepali Paediatric Hospitals
3.  Denial of Needed Health Care   4.  Stigma, Bullying and Isolation 

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) condemns IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

En route to the NGO briefing for the UN Committee against Torture, Geneva 18.04.2016.
L.t.r.: Markus Bauer, Daniela Truffer, Vincent Guillot (Screenshot: ARTE)

European station ARTE is showing a 25-minutes intersex ducumentary by Barbara Lohr, Cécile Thullier, Elsa Kleinschmager and Florence Touly >>> watch online (in french/german), partly shot during the CAT review of France, including excerpts from Vincent Guillot’s statement at the NGO briefing for CAT before the session on the ongoing Intersex Genital Mutilations in France and the refusal of the Government to address these serious human rights violations (read it in english here).

CAT chairperson and co-rapporteur for France Jens Modvig personally welcomes intersex human rights defenders Vincent Guillot and Daniela Truffer to the NGO briefing, Palais Wilson 18.04.2016. (Screenshot: ARTE)

During the following review of France, Jens Modvig asked the French delegation good questions on intersex. First he criticised «that in France doctors in public and private clinics regularly perform non-consensual Intersex Genital Mutilation surgeries on intersex infants and children despite the fact that Intersex Genital Mutilation has been found to cause severe pain and suffering» and asked about mandatory «counselling services and psychological support […] [for] intersex children and their parents», and last but not least if France would «intend to take any measures to protect the rights of intersex infants and children».

And after the less than satisfactory reply on intersex by the delegation, Modvig followed up mentioning his own experience as a doctor and remarking, «counselling that would be really useful to put in perspective the early surgery would involve much more neutral facilities, even persons who themselves have been subjected to intersex genital mutilation, so that parents and treatment people to a much larger degree could see the long-term impact of the treatment […]».

You can read Modvig’s statements in full here (Session 1 @ 11:15h and Session 2 @ 16:50h).

CAT member Sapana Pradhan-Malla questioning France over Intersex Genital Mutilations, Geneva 19.04.2016. (Screenshot: ARTE) 

The ARTE docu also features the question to the French delegation by Sapana Pradhan-Malla, including her critique of «the cruel and inhuman treatment of persons with intersex variations in France who are submitted to involuntary masculinising or feminising genital surgeries, sterilising procedures, medical display, and unethical experimentation often during the first years of their life.» You can read Pradhan-Malla’s full statement in english here (Session 1 @ 11:30h).

Unfortunately, the film doesn’t include CAT’s binding recommendations for France, including to «take the necessary legislative, administrative and other measures to guarantee the respect for the physical integrity and autonomy of intersex persons», and «to undertake measures to ensure redress for victims, including adequate compensation». You can read the full binding recommendations in english here.

Intersex Genital Mutilations in France: 2016 UN-CAT Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • Inhuman Treatment
>>>  Download (PDF 3.71 MB) 

See also:
• 12 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• 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
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM 
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors! 

UN-CRC 72nd Session @ Palais Wilson, Geneva 23.05.2016, 14:57h CET: Getting ready …

>>> That’s why the UK will be reprimanded for IGM Practices by UN-CRC

This week it’s the turn of the UK to be questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations at the 72nd Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on Mon 23 May 15–18h CET [UK: 2-5pm] + Tue 24 May 10–13h CET [UK: 9am-noon]  >>> soon archived here!
StopIGM.org was reporting live from the 72nd session at Palais Wilson in Geneva, expecting tough questions also for the UK, and both the UK and Nepal to be reprimanded by June 3rd.

Session 2, Tue 24.05.2016, 10-13h CET

09:52: UK delegation and webcast crew arriving …

10:02h: Session and webcast are on, Kirsten Sandberg with follow-up questions, amongst other on LGBT children, access to abortion, adolescents, benefit caps …

10:07h: CRC co-rapporteur Wanderlino Nogueira Neto now on, asking for specifications regarding LGBTI children, gypsy children, children with disabilitis, refugee children, children from minority groups, do they have access to school and then work? Treatment of samll children whose mothers are in prison? (Cyber) bullying of LGBTI children and of minority groups?

10:13h: CRC co-rapporteur Hatem Kotrane follows up on list of issues regarding migrant children and juvenile justice …

10:22h: Head of UK delegation Paul Kissack has the floor, answering on gypsy and traveller children …

10:26h: UK delegate Rebecca Clare Egan (Child Safeguarding Unit, Home Office) now on re: violence … tasers mostly not fired, just used to end critical situations … stop and search in the interest of children … ASBOs (Anti Social Behaviour Orders) to support children … gov protects children from abuse and domestic abuse, wants to stop violence before it happens … tackles sexual abuse, convictions increased … UK world leader in fight against forced marriage …

10:35h: Northern Ireland delegate Trevor David Hughes answers on local situation … plastic and rubber bullets not in use …

10:39h: Delegate Graham Archer on corporal punishment: parents giving children a smack to change behaviour is OK, will stay legal, no law change …

10:41h: Delegate Ann Gross on health, children centres, improved parenting provisions, increase of children in public care … voice of the child at the heart of the care system … placement moves always in the best interest of the child …

10:57h: Delegate Graham Archer on adoption and social work, children can be very critical, gov introduced major programme to improve fontline social workers …

11:00h: First round of UK answers finished … UK obviously not in a hurry to answer on intersex mutilations …

11:03h: CRC co-rapporteur Kirsten Sandberg fowllowing up on “right to smack children” …

11:04h: CRC co-rapporteur Olga Khazova follows up on removal of children …

11:06h: Head of UK delegation insists smacking children is acceptable, moving on to health …

11:09h: UK delegate Flora Taylor Goldhill (Director for Children, Families and Communities, Department of Health) on transition to adult services … data on health will be better next year … better mental health crises services before ned of legislation … no-one in crisis will be turned away … use of ritalin and anti-depressants, prescribed where drug treatment is appropriate according to guidance, based on comprehensive evaluation and diagnoses … guidance now being revised, to be updated by January 2018 … anti-depressants not only used for depression, but also for eating disorders, OCD etc. … breast feeding promoted in England, NI …

11:27h: UK delegate Flora Taylor Goldhill (Director for Children, Families and Communities, Department of Health, ctd.) on “transgender health and […] intersex children”  – yet another evasive Gov non-answer + denial, as per usual lumping together + confusing trans, LBGT, identity and intersex, while at the same time categorically ignoring the daily mutilations facilitated and paid for by the NHS 🙁
– a stark reminder why at the end of the day only legislators will make a difference … Unofficial Transcription:

«I now want to move on to the issues raised about transgender health and I will also pick up the question that Miss Sandberg raised yesterday about intersex children. As with society more generally, more needs to be done to change the culture within the wider NHS, so that all health care professionals are aware of the specific needs of transgender, non-binary and intersex people.

NHS England has established a clinical reference group for gender identity services comprising experts from different specialities and patient representatives to advise NHS England on clinical issues. The chair of NHS Englands clinical reference groups has worked with the general medical counsel to develop guidance for doctors on the care and treatment of transgender people. This was published on 18th of March 2015.

In Northern Ireland, the RCGP guidelines for the care of trans patients in primary care was published in 2015. For nursing, public health England and the Royal College of Nursing have developed two tool kids for nurses and health practitioners to support the mental health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people.

On intersex children: NHS England are responsible for specialised commissioning which covers this area. They wish to work with stakeholders to improve the services for these children and their families. NHS England are clear that the management of intersex conditions should optimise overall quality of life and that gender assignment interventions in newborns with intersex conditions should be avoided before expert evaluation.

Where babies and children could be described as intersex decisions about when and how to make medical interventions should be taken by clinicians in consultation with the parents of the child, and where possible and the child is older, seeking the views of the child himself or herself or themselves.

NHS England have recognised the need to engage service users and their families on this issue. The commissioning of specialised services by NHS England is heavily informed by expert and stakeholder advise via the clinical reference group that I mentioned. They use their specific knowledge and expertise to advise NHS England on the best way that specialised services should be provided.

NHS England welcomes the involvement of interested people in the work of the clinical reference group and is keen to work with all stakeholders including charities, patient groups, staff from service providers, and commercial organisations. NHS England has recently consulted on the proposals for the future configuration of clinical reference groups, and in spring of 2016 [?] it will publish details of which specialised services fall within each clinical reference groups remit. This will include details of the clinical reference group for specialist gynaecology services for children and young people.»

[ After the session when we spoke to Flora Taylor Goldhill, she first addressed intersex as a gender identity – BINGO! – and then said “it’s a new issue”. We presented a copy of the intersex NGO report to her, suggesting that if they really want to involve all interested parties they could start by consulting the organisations listed on p. 2 … ]

10:31h: 10 minutes pause …

11:45h: Session resumed, UK delegate Ann Gross on children with disabilities, major changes and improvements with single integrated health care plan … fully committed to involve childrens concerned …

11:55h: On education in NI now … report on LGBT being made … Followed by education generally in UK … no child shoud face fear of bullying, behaviour policy and sanctions everywhere required by law … 3 million £ programmes gainst LGBT bullying … school reform … Gov: not possible to fund all schools fairly …

12:12h: Follow-up questions by Amal Salman Aldoseri and Olga Khazova …

12:19: Delegate Peter James Searle: UK committed to reduce child poverty and improve life chances for disadvantaged children … considering legislation to reduce homelessness …

12:30h: Delegate Olivia Emma Kate Mcleod on welfare in Scotland … improved support and new allowances for families with low incomes …

12:32h: Delegate Jo-Anne Terese Daniel on welfare in Wales … Welsh Gov do all they can …

12:24h: Delegate Camisha Tamara Bridgeman on improvements for children in foreing and oversee commonwealth territories …

12:38h: Delegate Richard Karl Bishop on 4 cases of deaths in custody of children … restraint only as a last resort …. never used when non-paininducing alternatives available … safety and welfare of young people in custody highest priority … children in adult prisons is appropriate in exceptional circumstances … support for young witnesses in court …

12:49h: Delegate Jonathon Blair-Tidewell on under-18s and the armed forces …

12:53h: Delegate Robert Matthew Jones: Home Office working to improve data … refugee children should not be detained … no method for age assessment is perfect …

12:58h: CRC co-rapporteur Kirsten Sandberg’s closing statement … answers of UK not always correspond to reports from children …

12:00h: Head of UK delegation Paul Kissack closing remarks … UK does have positive story to tell of progress, but more must be done …

13:01h: CRC Chairperson Benyam Dawit Mezmur closing remarks and thanks, hope you will give concluding observations deserved attention …

Session 1, Mon 23.05.2016, 15-18h CET

14:53h: UK delegation has arrived, webcast crew ist getting ready …

14:03h: CRC Chairperson Benyam Dawit Mezmur opened the session, webcast is on, UK head of delegation now talking.

14:14h: CRC co-rapporteur Kirsten Sandberg now on with first round of questions, starting with lack of incorporation of convention into law, followed by best interests of the child.

15:28h: Now child suicides in prison, sexual violence, physical and chemical restraints in health care and schools …

15:29h: Harmful practices: FGM …

15:30h: … and intersex children now! Kirsten Sandberg mentions the responsability of the UK state
by directly financing IGM practices.
YAY!! 🙂 Unofficial Transcription:

«Intersex. Intersex children are born with unclear genitals, to put it that way, and there are harmful treatments done to them when they are babies or small children before they are able to consent themselves, and they have very bad effects on those involved, lifelong physical and psychological pain. And I wonder what you would do about this – in fact you directly finance it, the UK government through the public health assurances.»

15:35h: Co-rapporteur Hatem Kotrane now asking about definition of the child in UK law, children in court, obligatory (christian) religious services in school …

15:40h: Co-rapporteur Amal Salman Aldoseri on discrimination, stigma, access to legal aid, gypsies and traveller children, freedom of expression …

15:50h: Co-rapporteur Olga A. Khazova continues on non-discrimination, intolerance, raising and stop-and-search, illegitimate children …

15:57h: 15 minutes pause.

16:17h: Session resumed, UK speaker from education answering on incorporation of the convention in domestic law, and on follow-up to last CRC recommendations. Admits knowledge of the Covention in the UK “low”. Collaboration with civil society … children’s commissioners …

16:45h: Various delegation speakers from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Whales on the Bill of Rights in their region … CRC not yet incorporated in Scottish law …

17:10h: Regional UK speakers now answering on discrimination …

17:25h: … current “reforms” (i.e. reduction) of legal aid … preservation of Welsh langage …

17:32h: 2nd round of questions by co-rapporteurs now. Olga Khazova asks about affordable child care … criteria for removal of children from family … foster care … health issues …

17:49h: Co-rapporteur Amal Salman Aldoseri aks about children with disbility and mental health … transgender children … education, monitoring of access for all children in Northern Ireland … sexual health … smoking …

18:02h: CRC Chairperson Benyam Dawit Mezmur closes the session.

The replies on intersex by the UK delegation are due tomorrow during the 2nd Session, Tue 24 May 10-13h CET. To be continued …

>>> That’s why the UK will be reprimanded for IGM Practices by UN-CRC

IGM Practices in the UK: 2016 UN-CRC Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • A Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.60 MB)

See also:
• 11 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• 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
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

UN-CRC 72nd Session @ Palais Wilson, Geneva 23.05.2016, 14:57h CET: Getting ready …

>>> 09.06.2016: UN-CRC reprimanded UK + Nepal for IGM! 
>>> That’s why the UK will be reprimanded for IGM Practices by UN-CRC

This week it’s the turn of the UK to be questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations at the 72nd Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) on Mon 23 May 15–18h CET [UK: 2-5pm] + Tue 24 May 10–13h CET [UK: 9am-noon]  >>> see videos here!
StopIGM.org was reporting LIVE [ original full report ] from Palais Wilson in Geneva, expecting tough questions also for the UK, and both the UK and Nepal to be reprimanded by June 3rd.
 

Session 1, Mon 23.05.2016, 15-18h CET   

15:29h: Harmful practices: FGM …

15:30h: … and intersex children now!
CRC co-rapporteur Kirsten Sandberg mentions the responsability of the UK state
by directly financing IGM practices. YAY!! 🙂 Unofficial Transcription:

«Intersex. Intersex children are born with unclear genitals, to put it that way, and there are harmful treatments done to them when they are babies or small children before they are able to consent themselves, and they have very bad effects on those involved, lifelong physical and psychological pain. And I wonder what you would do about this – in fact you directly finance it, the UK government through the public health assurances.»
 

Session 2, Tue 24.05.2016, 10-13h CET   

11:27h: UK delegate Flora Taylor Goldhill (Director for Children, Families and Communities, Department of Health, ctd.) on “transgender health and […] intersex children”  – yet another evasive Gov non-answer + denial, as per usual lumping together + confusing trans, LBGT, identity and intersex, while at the same time categorically ignoring the daily mutilations facilitated and paid for by the NHS 🙁
– a stark reminder why at the end of the day only legislators will make a difference … Unofficial Transcription:

«I now want to move on to the issues raised about transgender health and I will also pick up the question that Miss Sandberg raised yesterday about intersex children. As with society more generally, more needs to be done to change the culture within the wider NHS, so that all health care professionals are aware of the specific needs of transgender, non-binary and intersex people.

NHS England has established a clinical reference group for gender identity services comprising experts from different specialities and patient representatives to advise NHS England on clinical issues. The chair of NHS Englands clinical reference groups has worked with the general medical counsel to develop guidance for doctors on the care and treatment of transgender people. This was published on 18th of March 2015.

In Northern Ireland, the RCGP guidelines for the care of trans patients in primary care was published in 2015. For nursing, public health England and the Royal College of Nursing have developed two tool kids for nurses and health practitioners to support the mental health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans young people.

On intersex children: NHS England are responsible for specialised commissioning which covers this area. They wish to work with stakeholders to improve the services for these children and their families. NHS England are clear that the management of intersex conditions should optimise overall quality of life and that gender assignment interventions in newborns with intersex conditions should be avoided before expert evaluation.

Where babies and children could be described as intersex decisions about when and how to make medical interventions should be taken by clinicians in consultation with the parents of the child, and where possible and the child is older, seeking the views of the child himself or herself or themselves.

NHS England have recognised the need to engage service users and their families on this issue. The commissioning of specialised services by NHS England is heavily informed by expert and stakeholder advise via the clinical reference group that I mentioned. They use their specific knowledge and expertise to advise NHS England on the best way that specialised services should be provided.

NHS England welcomes the involvement of interested people in the work of the clinical reference group and is keen to work with all stakeholders including charities, patient groups, staff from service providers, and commercial organisations. NHS England has recently consulted on the proposals for the future configuration of clinical reference groups, and in spring of 2016 [?] it will publish details of which specialised services fall within each clinical reference groups remit. This will include details of the clinical reference group for specialist gynaecology services for children and young people.»

[ After the session when we spoke to Flora Taylor Goldhill, she first addressed intersex as a gender identity – BINGO! – and then said “it’s a new issue”. We presented a copy of the intersex NGO report to her, suggesting that if they really want to involve all interested parties they could start by consulting the organisations listed on p. 2 … ]

>>> Original Full Live Report of the Review of the UK
>>> 09.06.2016: UN-CRC reprimanded UK + Nepal for IGM! 
>>> That’s why the UK will be reprimanded for IGM Practices by UN-CRC

Intersex Genital Mutilations in the UK: 2016 UN-CRC Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • A Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.60 MB)

See also:
• 11 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• 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
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over 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

Paul Kissack, Head of UK delegation during 1st session, Palais Wilson 23.05.2016
(Lower right corner: Kirsten Sandberg, Committee Co-Rapporteur on the UK)
>>> Report + Unofficial Transcriptions  >>> IGM in the UK: Background + Quotations

Press Release by StopIGM.org 23.05.2016

Today and tomorrow it is the turn of the UK to be questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations at the 72nd Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in Geneva, transmitted live via treatybodywebcast.org.

UN-CRC has consistently recognised IGM as a ‘harmful practice’ (like FGM) and as ‘violence against children’. Only last week the Committee questioned Nepal over IGM practices, and so far already reprimanded Ireland, France, Chile and Switzerland.

Intersex advocates attending the session in Geneva today are expecting tough questions also for the UK, and both the UK and Nepal to be reprimanded by CRC on June 3rd.

‘Until such time as there is a change in the law, we remain happy to undertake clitoral reduction surgery’ – Dr I. Mushtaq (GOSH, UCL)

Typically, UN-CRC obliges complicit states to

(a) take effective legislative, administrative, judicial or other measures to prevent non-urgent treatment without informed consent of the person concerned

(b) adopt legal provisions to ensure access to redress and adequate compensation for victims

(c) provide families with intersex children with adequate counselling and support

While complicit UK government and NHS bodies are quick to deny the ongoing practice, intersex organisations StopIGM.org, IntersexUK (ISUK), OII-UK and UK Intersex Association (UKIA) collected damning evidence on the most common forms of IGM as well as moving testimonies by IGM survivors in a recent NGO Report to the Committee:

     >>> More info and referenced quotations (via StopIGM.org)
     >>> Download 2016 CRC UK NGO Report (PDF, 3.60 MB)

The international intersex human rights NGO 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    +41 76 398 06 50
Markus Bauer    +41 78 829 12 60
Founding members Zwischengeschlecht.org / StopIGM.org

presse_at_zwischengeschlecht.info
http://StopIGM.org

Background: The UN Condemn Intersex Genital Mutilations

Typical forms of IGM practices include involuntary ‘masculinising’ and ‘feminising’ genital surgery, sterilising procedures, imposition of hormones, forced genital exams, vaginal dilations, medical display, withholding information from patients and parents, human experimentation and denial of needed health care.

IGM Practices cause known lifelong severe physical and psychological pain and suffering, including loss or impairment of sexual sensation, painful scarring, painful intercourse, incontinence, urethral strictures, impairment or loss of  reproductive capabilities, lifelong dependency of artificial hormones, significantly elevated rates of self-harming behaviour and suicidal tendencies, lifelong mental suffering and trauma, increased sexual anxieties, less sexual activity.

Since 1950, IGM has been practised systematically and on an industrial scale allover the ‘developed world,’ with all typical IGM forms still practised today. Parents and children are misinformed, kept in the dark, sworn to secrecy, kept isolated and denied appropriate support.

For more than 20 years, survivors have criticised IGM practices as harmful and traumatising, as a fundamental human rights violation, as a form of genital mutilation, torture and child sexual abuse, and called for legislation to end it and to ensure remedies.

So far, UN Treaty bodies have issued 12 verdicts condemning IGM:

The UN Committee against Torture (CAT) recognises IGM practices as constituting at least ‘inhuman treatment’ in violation of the Convention against Torture, and since 2011 has reprimanded Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark, Hong Kong and France.

The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) has repeatedly criticised IGM as ‘violence’ and a ‘harmful practice’, and thus comparable to Female Genital Mutilation, and since 2015 has reprimanded Switzerland, Chile, Ireland and France.

The UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) also considers IGM as ‘inhuman treatment’ and since 2015 has reprimanded  Germany and Chile.

In all above 12 verdicts, the Committes issued binding recommendations to take legislative action to end the practice and to ensure access to redress and justice for IGM survivors.

In addition, the UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) as the governing body of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR) is currently investigating IGM and has called on Switzerland to disclose statistics.

Other international human rights bodies to condemn IGM practices so far include WHO, UNICEF, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, the Council of Europe (CoE) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).

Intersex Genital Mutilations in the UK: 2016 UN-CRC Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • A Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.60 MB)

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) condemns IGM
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over IGM
• CAT 2011: Germany must investigate IGM practices and compensate survivors!

>>> 09.06.2016: UN-CRC reprimanded UK + Nepal for IGM!

Discussion with a participant of ‘ISHID 2011’ outside UCH Education Centre, London

@ 5:35 ‘… that genital mutilation is also done in our western countries.’

Claudia Kasper and Daniela “Nella” Truffer bearing witness to non-consensual genital surgeries committed on them as children, and about the impact of these gross human rights violations on their lives.

Made on occasion of the protests vs. the infamous ‘Live Genital Mutilations’ perpetrated during the last day of the ‘IV I$HID World Congress’ on 17–19 September 2011 in London. Video courtesy of Richard Duncker (MenDoComplain). Many thanks!

>>> VIDEO      >>> ‘I$HID 2011’ Protests     >>> ‘I$HID 2015’ Protests

>>> 09.06.16: UN-CRC reprimanded UK + Nepal for IGM!
>>> That’s why the UK will be reprimanded for IGM by UN-CRC

IGM Practices in the UK: 2016 UN-CRC Report 
Human Rights Violations Of Persons With Variations Of Sex Anatomy
IGM – Most Common Forms • What is Intersex? • A Harmful Practice
>>>  Download (PDF 3.60 MB) 

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

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

Head of Nepali Delegation replies to first round of questions, Palais Wilson 19.05.2016
(Lower right corner: Kirsten Sandberg, Committee Co-Rapporteur on Nepal)

Fri 20 May 10:00-13:00h CET [Nepal: 12:45-16:45h] at the 72nd Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), Nepal ‘answered’ the CRC’s questions about Intersex Human Rights including the “growing practice of Intersex Genital Mutilations”  – videos now archived on treatybodywebcast.org. Unofficial Transcription below:
[ Next week, it will be the turn of the UK … ]

   “Intersex Genital Mutilations, Stigma and Bullying in Nepal”
   1.  Background: 1st Intersex Workshop, Intersex Stories Book, 2016 CRC NGO Report
   2.  Intersex Genital Mutilations in Nepali Paediatric Hospitals
        a) IGM in Publications by Doctors and Hospitals
        b) IGM in Witnesses Accounts
   3.  Denial of Needed Health Care
   4.  Stigma, Bullying and Isolation  
 

Session 2, Fri 20.05.2016, 10-13h CET   

10:11h: The live transmission is now on! Nepali delegation already answering … Currently health and education expert talking.

11:03h: First round of answers over, no reply on intersex yet. Now follow-up questions by CRC members.

11:30h: 15 minutes intermission

11:46h: Session resumed. Still about “child marriage”

12:03h: Kirsten Sandberg repeats question on intersex children, highlights the apparent rise of involuntary surgery. YAY!! 🙂

“Thank you. I would just like to repeat my question from yesterday about intersex children, children born with unclear genitals, and it seems there is an increasing practice in your country of subjecting them to some kind of surgery when they are really infants, and without, well, the parents consented, they get the parent’s consent, but this need not be done until children are much older and may be able to give their own consent or their view on this. And I wonder if this is an issue that you’ve at all discussed in your country.”

12:08h: Madhu Prasad Regmi, Secretary of Ministry for Women, Children and Social Welfare and Head of Nepali delegation, “replies” on intersex children – as per usual simply ignores IGM, but deflects to “anti-discrimination measures” and civil status “other than male or female” – BINGO! 🙁

“One question still seems to be unanswered, it is about the intersex children. Yeah, the constitution has adopted the principal of non-discrimination based on sex or the religion or cast, ethnicity or origin or any other type. So there will be no discrimination against any person based on gender or ethnicity or anything else. And I would just like to kindly inform, kindly draw her attention that the government of Nepal has recently initiated to provide citizenship certificate, even passports and [incomprehensible] id card by explicitly mentioning the gender other than male and female. So that is also we have recently started the practice. That is what I would like to say, the answer of her question. Thank you.”

12:19h: No more follow-up questions by Committee members – involvement of children in armed conflicts under the optional protocol now – so, re: intersex that was probably that.

12:35h: Chairperson closes public session – and we’re hoping for strong Concluding Observations on intersex children for Nepal!
    

Session 1, Thu 19.05.2016, 15-18h   

Ca. 15:04h: CRC Chairperson Benyam Dawit Mezmur opens the session.

Ca. 16:00h:  First round of questions finished … While questions were asked about harmful practices (e.g. about forced marriage), no questions on intersex so far …

17:40h: Kirsten Sandberg,
CRC Co-Rapporteur on Nepal,
raises intersex children! YAY!!! 

“To intersex children, which is also related to medical issues, but is also being viewed by this committee as a harmful practice, when intersex children are exposed to medically unnecessary procedures at an early age before they can voice their own views. I wonder if you are aware of these issues, because intersex children in your country have informed us that they feel stigmatised and discriminated against, also that they’re not given the proper self-determination in these issues.”

The replies on intersex by the Nepali delegation are due tomorrow during the 2nd Session, Fri 20 May 10-13h CET. To be continued …  

 
   “Intersex Genital Mutilations, Stigma and Bullying in Nepal”
   1.  Background: 1st Intersex Workshop, Intersex Stories Book, 2016 CRC NGO Report
   2.  Intersex Genital Mutilations in Nepali Paediatric Hospitals
        a) IGM in Publications by Doctors and Hospitals
        b) IGM in Witnesses Accounts
   3.  Denial of Needed Health Care
   4.  Stigma, Bullying and Isolation 

See also:
• 11 Verdicts by UN Treaty Bodies Condemning IGM – And Counting …
• 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
• Historic 56th Session of Committee against Torture reprimands 4 Governments over 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