Indonesia – Regulation on Female Circumcision Must Be Repealed

JOINT
STATEMENT

Indonesia:
Government Regulation on Female Circumcision Must Be Repealed

Indonesian authorities must immediately repeal the newly issued government
regulation permitting female circumcision (‘sunat perempuan’), and instead
enact specific legislation with appropriate penalties prohibiting all forms of
female genital mutilation (FGM).

The new regulation legitimizes the practice of female
genital mutilation and authorizes certain medical professionals, such as
doctors, midwives and nurses, to perform it. The new regulation defines this
practice as “the act of scratching the skin covering the front of the clitoris,
without hurting the clitoris”. The procedure includes “a scratch on the skin
covering the front of clitoris (frenulum clitoris) using the head of a single
use sterile needle” (Article 4.2 (g)). According to the new regulation, the act
of female circumcision can only be conducted with the request and consent of
the person circumcised, parents, and/or guardians.

The new regulation by the
Ministry of Health (No. 1636/MENKES/PER/XI/2010)
concerning female circumcision, issued in November 2010, runs counter to
the government’s steps to enhance gender equality and combat discrimination
against women in all its forms. It violates a number of Indonesian laws,
including Law No. 7/1984 on the ratification of the International Convention on
the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and Law
No. 23/2002 on Child Protection.  

Female genital mutilation constitutes a form of violence
against women which should be eradicated. Where the state fails to effectively
challenge these practices, it reinforces the perception that others are
entitled to control a woman’s or a girl’s sexuality, that is, to decide on her
behalf under what circumstances she should (or should not) engage in sexual
activity. Amnesty International is concerned that this regulation condones and
encourages female genital mutilation, a practice which inflicts pain and
suffering on women and girls, and hence violates the absolute prohibition of
torture and ill-treatment. Female genital mutilation also encourages
discriminatory stereotypes about women’s sexuality.

As documented in a 2010 report, Left without a choice:
Barriers to reproductive health in Indonesia, Amnesty International was
told by many women and girls that they chose female genital mutilation for
their own baby girl in recent years. The practice is generally undertaken by a
traditional birth attendant within the first six weeks after the baby girl is
born. The women said they had asked that their baby girl have female genital
mutilation performed for religious reasons. Other reasons women cited ranged
from wanting to ensure the girl’s “cleanliness” (the external female genitalia are
considered dirty) and avoiding diseases; to perpetuating cultural or local
practices; to seeking to regulate or suppress the girls’ urge towards “sexual
activity” during adulthood. Some women described the procedure as being merely
a “symbolic scratch”, while in other cases they explained that it consisted of
cutting a small piece of the clitoris. Many women interviewed agreed that there
would be some bleeding as a result.

Irrespective of the extent of the procedure, the practice
of female genital mutilation highlights discriminatory stereotypes about female
genitalia being “dirty” or degraded, that women are not entitled to make their
own choices about sexuality in the same way as men, and that women and girls
can only be fully dignified in their religious practice if their bodies are
altered, hence that there is something inherently wrong about women’s bodies.
Attitudes which denigrate women because of their actual or perceived sexuality
are often used to justify violence against women.

In its 2007 concluding observations, the CEDAW Committee
recommended that Indonesia develop a plan of action to eliminate the practice
of female genital mutilation, including implementing public awareness-raising
campaigns to change the cultural perceptions connected with it, and provide
education regarding the practice as a violation of the human rights of women
and girls that has no basis in religion.

 As state party to CEDAW, the Indonesian authorities
must immediately revoke the Regulation of the Minister of Health No. 1636/MENKES/PER/XI/2010 concerning female circumcision, and
ensure that they comply fully with the provisions that are contained in
CEDAW.

Jakarta, 23 June 2011

This joint statement endorsed by :

1. Aliansi Pelangi Antar
   Bangsa

2. 
   AMAN
   foundation Kalkata India

3. Amnesty Internasional

4. Asia Pacific Forum on
   Women, Law, and Development (APWLD)

5. Asian Moslem Action
   Network (AMAN) Indonesia

6. Barisan Perempuan
   Indonesia

7. BITES

8. CEDAW Working Group
   Initiative

9. 
   Evelyne Accad (Professeur Emerite,
   University of Illinois, Lebanese American University)

10. Federasi LBH APIK
    Indonesia

11. GemaPalu, Lumajang

12. Indonesia Support
    Facility (InSuFa)

13. Indonesian Conference on
    Religion and Peace (ICRP)

14. 
    INFORM
    Documentation Centre, Srilangka

15. 
    Institut
    Perempuan

16. 
    IRSAD
    (Institute for Religion and Sustainable Development), Sumatera Barat

17. Jaringan Kerja Prolegnas
    Pro Perempuan

18. Julia Suryakusuma
    (Individu)

19. Kalyanamitra

20. Kartini Asia Network

21. KePPaK PEREMPUAN Pusat
    serta KePPaK PEREMPUAN Komisariat  :
    Kepulauan Riau, Sumatera Selatan, Bangka-Belitung, Banten, DKI Jakarta,
    Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah, Jawa Timur, Bali, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Nusa
    Tenggara Timur, Kalimantan Barat, Kalimantan Tengah, Kalimantan Selatan,
    Kalimantan Timur, Sulawesi Utara, Sulawesi Selatan, Sulawesi Barat,
    Sulawesi Tenggara

22. Koalisi Perempuan
    Indonesia

23. Mitra Perempuan

24. Pelpem GKPS

25. Perempuan Mahardhika

26. Perkumpulan Keluarga
    Berencana Indonesia

27. Puan Amal Hayati

28. Rahima

29. Rumpun Gema Perempuan

30. 
    Sisters In
    Islam, Malaysia

31. Solidaritas Perempuan

32. Southeast Women’s Caucus
    on ASEAN

33. Women for Women’s Human
    Rights, Istanbul, Turki

34. YAKKUM

35. Yayasan Jurnal Perempuan

36. Yayasan Walang
    Perempuan- Ambon

37. SA-KPPD

38. Nunung Fatma

39. Prof. Dr Saskia E.
    Wieringa, University of Amsterdam

40. Dr. Free hearty, WOHAI

41. 
    Nasawiya,
    The Feminist Collective

42. 
    Aceh Peace
    Consultative Management/APCM

43. Muntada-Arab Forum for
    Sexuality Education & Health

44. 
    Matepe
    Makassar

45. 
    Nino Viartasiwi, Individu

46. GSIR Ritsumeikan
    University

47. Kyoto-JAPAN

48. Viena Tanjung, Herlounge

49. Perkumpulan Rumah
    Perempuan Jember

50. Raising Her Voice

51. Institut Hak Asasi
    Perempuan (IHAP) Yogyakarta

52. PLU Satu Hati

53. Firliana Purwanti

54. Maesy Angelina

55. Pergerakan Indonesia

56. 
    Asian
    Women’s Resource Centre (AWRC) for Culture and Theology

57. Ourvoice

58. Indonesia AIDS Coalition

59. Aliansi Sumut Bersatu
    (ASB)

60. 
    Mufti
    Makaarim al-Ahlaq, The Institute for
    Defense, Security and Peace Studies (IDSPS)

61. YASANTI

62. 
    mitra-華友-femivegi

63. PT SUSDEC member of
    LPTP, Solo

64. GONG PEACE MAGAZINE

65. SAPA Institute

66. Perkumpulan Cut Nyak
    Dien

67. ATKI

68. Witryna Anna
    Gostkawskiej

69. PELKESI

70. Asian Muslim Action
    Network (AMAN) Thailand

71. Ardhanary Institute

72. Nurul Sutarti, Yayasan
    Krida Paramita Surakarta

73. Lembaga Partisipasi
    Perempuan

74. Fahmina Institute

75. Solidaritas Perempuan
    Kinasih Yogyakarta

76. 
    Rita

77. Pusat Pendidikan &
    Advokasi Masyarakat Marginal (Perkumpulan PEDULI di Medan)

78. Perkumpulan IDEA
    Yogyakarta

79. HRWG

80. Sahabat Perempuan dan
    Anak Indonesia (SAPA Indonesia)

81. Konsorsium untuk
    Kepemimpinan Politik Perempuan Jawa Barat (KPPP Jabar