S t o p I G M . o r g
Human Rights For Hermaphrodites Too!
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A version with sources and the full Concluding Observations is available here:
https://stopigm.org/un-ccpr-reprimands-portugal-for-intersex-genital-mutilation/
A year ago, the 128th Session of the
Human Rights Committee (HRCttee)
as the Treaty body monitoring the implementation of the
International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (CCPR)
was suspended two weeks
in due to COVID-19, making
Portugal
the last State Party to be examined
for Intersex Genital Mutilation in Geneva.
Based on a thematic intersex NGO report and a briefing to Committee
members by
StopIGM.org,
CCPR specifically questioned Portugal on
“genital mutilation […] practiced on intersex children”
and the
lack of
access to justice
in such cases. However, Portugal
non-answered
on
“female genital mutilation”
and
“trans and intersex health”
instead.
As a result,
CCPR has now reprimanded Portugal for IGM practices,
specifically obliging Portugal to
“strengthen the measures to end the
performance of irreversible medical acts, especially surgical
operations, on intersex children”
and considering the practice as
cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment
falling under the absolute prohibition of
torture
(art. 7 CCPR).
StopIGM.org
welcomes this
clear verdict,
marking
•
•
•
•
the
50th UN reprimand condemning IGM as a serious violation
of non-derogable human rights
already the
2nd
reprimand for IGM to
Portugal,
the
23rd
UN reprimand for IGM to an
EU27 member state,
the
5th
reprimand for IGM by
CCPR.
Portugal
is another self-declared
“intersex human rights champion” that,
after in 2018 having
adopted legislation
aimed at protecting intersex
children from IGM practices,
claims to have abolished
the practice
altogether, echoing similar legislation and claims from
Malta.
However, in
both states
IGM persists with impunity,
and accordingly in 2019
both
Malta and Portugal have been reprimanded
by the UN Committee on the