Medicalization of FGM in Indonesia
27.02.2014
Additional Submission to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child 66th Session
Introduction
This report addresses the implementation of article 24 of the convention, particularly the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), in Indonesia and the current policy of the Indonesian Government which has led to so called medicalization of FGM. This submission refers to Part 1 No. 7 of the List of Issues.
The Actual State of FGM Practice in Indonesia
Female Genital Mutilation remains a very common practice in Indonesia. Every year approximately 2 million girls in the country have to undergo FGM. In the state report to the Commission (Page 28, Paragraph 128), regarding the medicalization of FGM, the government of Indonesia claimed that in 2006 the Director General of Public Health circulated a regulation, which prohibits health personnel to conduct female circumcision of any kind. However, the state report does not reveal another regulation which has brought this practice back to life again. In 2010 the Ministry of Health issued an advisory for medical professionals on the ‘correct’ ways to perform the ‘circumcision’ of females (1636/MENKES/PER/XI/2010) and this regulation is in force ever since. In January 2014, local media reported that the government claimed to have revoked the regulation in 2013. However, officials could not specify the annulment date or explain whether it has been publicly disseminated.
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