Indonesia – End Government Legitimization of FGM
Author: Womens UN Report Network
Date: September 3, 2012
Website Link Includes Equality Now
Suggested Actions
INDONESIA – CALL TO END GOVERNMENT
LEGITIMIZATION OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION – FGM
Equality Now has just issued an Action calling on
the Government of Indonesia to repeal a 2010 Ministry of Health regulation
legitimizing the practice of FGM and to enact and implement comprehensive
legislation banning FGM.
In November 2010, the Indonesian Ministry of Health passed a regulation [No.
1636/MENKES/PER/XI/2010 regarding “Female Circumcision”] legitimizing the
practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) and authorizing medical
professionals to perform it. Though this “medicalization” of FGM permits a
procedure that is harmful to girls and women and represents a violation of the
ethical code governing the professional conduct of nurses, midwives and other
health care workers, efforts to overturn the legislation have been
unsuccessful; human rights groups on the ground fear an increase in FGM due to
this regulation.
FGM is a harmful traditional practice that affects up to 140 million women and
girls around the world. All forms of the practice violate a range of their
human rights, including the right to non-discrimination, to protection from
physical and mental violence, to the highest, attainable standard of health,
and, in the most extreme cases, to the right to life. FGM also constitutes
torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. The World Health
Organization (WHO), of which
is a
has strongly urged health professionals not to practice any form of FGM.
Please join Equality Now and our partner Kalyanamitra in calling on the
Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection
to live up to their domestic and international obligations by:
· *Repealing the 2010
Ministry of Health regulation legitimizing the practice of FGM
· *Enacting and implementing
comprehensive legislation banning FGM with strong penalties for violators
· *Conducting public
awareness-raising and education campaigns to change cultural perception and
beliefs on FGM and acknowledging FGM as a human rights violation with
harmful consequences
Also join us in calling upon the Indonesian Society of Obstetrics &
Gynecology, the Indonesian National Nurses Association and the Indonesian
Midwives Association to live up to their international obligations as members
of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the
International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the International Confederation of
Midwives (ICM) by:
· *Publicly condemning FGM in all its
forms and its medicalization
· *Ensuring that strong measures are
put into place to discipline Association members who practice FGM
· *Urging the government to repeal
the 2010 regulation, working with them to enact a law banning FGM and promoting
a comprehensive strategy and public education against the practice.
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