Indonesia: 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 Indonesia is a Member State, 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.

Letter to Government Officials

Subject:

Your Letter:

According to the World Health Organization, of which Indonesia is a member state, FGM refers to all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. The WHO has strongly urged health professionals not to practice any form of FGM. FGM is classified by the WHO into four major types:

Type I: Clitoridectomy: partial or total removal of the clitoris (a small, sensitive and erectile part of the female genitals that includes the glans of the clitoris) and, in very rare cases, only the prepuce (the fold of skin surrounding the clitoris).
Type II: Excision: partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora (the labia are "the lips" that surround the vagina).
Type III: Infibulation: narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal. The seal is formed by cutting and repositioning the inner, or outer, labia, with or without removal of the clitoris.
Type IV: Other: all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, e.g. pricking, piercing, incising, scraping and cauterizing the genital area.

FGM is a form of violence and discrimination against girls and women and is internationally recognized as a violation of their human rights. All forms of FGM violate a range of human rights of girls and women, including their right to sexual and bodily integrity, to non-discrimination, to protection from physical and mental violence and to the highest, attainable standard of health. FGM also constitutes cruel and degrading treatment of girls and women.

The Ministry of Health regulation runs counter to a number of Indonesian laws which include decrees enshrining international legal obligations such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CAT) in the national legal framework.

I would like to urge you to ensure that Indonesia lives up to its domestic and international obligations by taking the following steps:

*  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

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Nafsiah Mboi, SpA, MPH

Minister, Health Ministry of Indonesia

Linda Amalia Sari, S.IP

Minister, Ministry of Women Empowerment/Child Protection

Dr. Prijo Sidipratomo (Govt Letter cc)

Chairman, Indonesian Medical Association

Letter to Indonesian Medical groups (Ob/Gyns, Nurses and Midwives)

Subject:

Your Letter:

I am deeply concerned about the November 2010 Ministry of Health regulation which legitimizes the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) and authorizes medical professionals to perform it. “Medicalization” of FGM permits a procedure that is harmful to girls and women. It is also a violation of the ethical code governing the professional conduct of Indonesian nurses, midwives, obstetricians and gynecologists and is contrary to the resolutions against FGM adopted by the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO), the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) of which the health professional associations of Indonesia are members. Several efforts have been made to have this regulation overturned, but to no avail. I share in the concerns of human rights groups on the ground that medicalization of any form of FGM legitimizes the practice thus rendering it impossible to stop the practice.

I urge your professional association to live up to its international obligations by:

*  Publicly condemning FGM in all its forms and its medicalization
    *  Ensuring that strong measures are put into place to discipline health professional members of the association who practice FGM
    *  Urging the government to repeal the 2010 regulation legitimizing the practice and working with them towards enactment of a law banning FGM and promotion of a comprehensive strategy and public education against the practice.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. Nurdadi Saleh

President, Indonesian Society of Obstetrics & Gynecology

Mrs. Dewi Irawati

Indonesian National Nurses Association

Dr. Harni Koesno

President, Indonesian Midwives Association

Dr. Prijo Sidipratomo (Medical Letter cc)

Chairman, Indonesian Medical Association

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To learn more about the campaign & for a list of full contact information for the government officials above, see:
http://www.equalitynow.org/take_action/fgm_action431

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