STOP Intersex Genital Mutilations in Children's Clinics!

CEDAW70 examining New Zealand @ Palais des Nations, Geneva 12.07.2018

At the 70th Session of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), in addition to Mexico, Liechtenstein and Australia, on Thursday 12 July also New Zealand was questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations – thanks to an >>> NGO report by StopIGM.org who also briefed Committee members in Geneva. As per usual, New Zealand ignored human rights obligations to ban the ongoing mutilations, announcing more funding for the perpetrators instead ...

Session 2, Thu 12.07.2018, 15-17h

>>> Archived VIDEO of entire session @ webtv.un.org

Ruth Halperin-Kaddari (CEDAW Vice-Chairperson and Head of Task Force for NZ) (Video @ 00:51:02) raises IGM and extraterritorial violations.
Unofficial Transcript: 

"Secondly, an issue that is also related in fact to stereotypes [i.e. CEDAW art. 5, harmful practices], and that is the practice of the unnecessary medical or hormonal interventions that are imposed on intersex girls without their prior and informed consent. This issue was also brought up in the CRC, and it was also alerted that New Zealand not only practices this in the State party itself but also sends young children, very young children to undergo these operations out of New Zealand. So I would like you to address this issue, thank you.

Heather Janet Logie (Head of NZ Delegation, Under-Secretary for Justice) (Video @ 00:53:29) non-answers on intersex children, claims governement-funded perpetrators (specialised “paediatrics organisation”) best suited to tackle the “practice”, ignores question on extraterritorial violations.
Unofficial Transcript:

"In relation to the protection of the bodily integrity of intersex children and babies in our country, I would like to particularly thank you for raising that, and to commend our human rights commission for acting to bring together a roundtable of medical practitioners, paediatricians, intersex people, family members and parliamentarians to start the process to change that practice in New Zealand, and that that has resulted in the establishment of a ministry of health funding a new paediatrics organisation focused in this area and that we are, while this is not formally on the government's agenda, there is certainly, we are watching what is happening."

Tellingly, the mentioned New Zealand Human Rights Commission's 2017 Pre-Session NHRI Report to CEDAW misaddresses IGM – and also FGM and involuntary sterilisation – as a “Health” issue (CEDAW art. 12), whereas CEDAW overwhelmingly considers IGM a harmful practice (CEDAW art. 5(a)). Also the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) already recognised IGM in New Zealand to constitute a harmful practice (CRC art. 24(3)). On the other hand, the NZHRC 2018 CEDAW NHRI Report only mentioned intersex once – in the context of “self-identities of sex, gender, and sexually diverse people”. IGM = Violence, Torture and a Harmful Practice – NOT "Health Care“ or "Identity"!

>>> IGM in New Zealand: 2018 CEDAW NGO Report | Summary

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

See also:
• “Harmful Medical Practice”: UN, COE, ACHPR, IACHR condem IGM
• 32 UN Reprimands for IGM – and counting ...
• UN Committee for the Rights of the Child (CRC): IGM = Harmful Practice + Violence
• UN Committee against Torture (CAT) 2015: IGM = Inhuman Treatment or Torture
• UN Women's Rights Committee (CEDAW): IGM = Harmful Practice
• UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD): Violation of Integrity
• UN Human Rights Committee (HRCttee) to examine IGM Practices
• 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