The International NGO Council on Genital Autonomy
The International NGO Council on Genital Autonomy (INGOGCA) was established in 2016 to promote the consistent application of existing human rights principles that every child is an independent holder of rights, and that all children everywhere should be equally protected from medically unnecessary genital cutting to which they are incapable of consenting.
INGOCGA has extensive experience in issues relating to genital cutting, including asserted benefits, harms, human rights issues, legal issues, issues of medical ethics, gender issues, and other pertinent topics, and is able to offer international and comparative perspectives to support the Committee in its work scrutinising the practice of genital cutting of children worldwide as a children’s human rights issue.
INGOCGA includes representatives from four nations and works collaboratively with major national and international human rights NGOs. In 2001, Attorneys for the Rights of the Child (ARC), an INGOCGA member organisation, made a presentation to the Sub-Commission for the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights. In 2018, INGOCGA submitted by invitation a general document on male genital cutting (MGC) as a human rights violation. In 2020, INGOCGA member organisation, The National Secular Society (NSS), an NGO with special consultative status, submitted a written statement to the 43rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council (1) calling on the HRC and on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to protect all children equally from non-therapeutic genital cutting. INGOCGA continues to work with many colleagues around the world to prepare country-specific submissions on medically unnecessary, non-consensual genital cutting of children as a human rights violation.
AUTHORSHIP
J.S. Svoboda, JD, MS – Executive Director, Attorneys for the Rights of the Child (USA)
A. Lempert, MB BS MRCGP – GP & Chair, Secular Medical Forum (SMF) of the National Secular Society (NSS) (UK)
J. Chegwidden – Barrister, Old Square Chambers, London; BA, LLB Hons (Syd); BCL (Oxon) (UK)
K. Antinuk, RN, BScN, MN – Executive Director, Children’s Health & Human Rights Partnership (CHHRP) (Canada)
L. Nyhus – Intact Denmark (Denmark)
P. Mason, B.A.(Hons) LLB – Barrister; Director, Australasian Institute for Genital Autonomy (Australia/NZ); Former Commissioner for Children, Tasmania, Australia (deceased)
T. Hammond – Independent Researcher, Global Survey of Circumcision Harm (USA/Canada)
MEMBERSHIP OF INTERNATIONAL NGO COUNCIL ON GENITAL AUTONOMY
K. Antinuk, RN, BScN, MN – Executive Director, CHHRP (Canada)
J. Chegwidden – Barrister, Old Square Chambers, London; BA, LLB (Syd); BCL (Oxon) (UK)
A. Lempert, MB BS MRCGP – GP & Chair, SMF NSS (UK)
L. Nyhus – Intact Denmark (Denmark)
J.S. Svoboda, JD, MS – Executive Director, Attorneys for the Rights of the Child (USA)
(1) Written statement submitted by National Secular Society, a non-governmental organization in special consultative status, https://ap.ohchr.org/Documents/sdpage_e.aspx?b=10&se=209&t=7 [accessed 25.8.2021]
To view report please visit https://www.arclaw.org/wp-content/uploads/Core-report-March-2022-Final-3-23-22.pdf