RESOLUTIONS ON GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, USA 1992
RESOLUTIONS ON GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN
Submitted To: The 1992 Western Regional Conference of Amnesty International, USA, San Francisco, CA, Feb. 14-16

PERSUANT TO THE DECLARATIONS ON THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN PREVIOUSLY PASSED BY THE UNANIMOUS VOTE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON CIRCUMCISION, (MARCH 3, 1989); AND BY THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP AT THE 1988 ANNUAL MEETING OF THE HUMANIST FELLOWSHIP OF SAN DIEGO; THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTIONS ON GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN ARE SUBMITTED TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE 1992 WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, USA FOR APPROVAL AND ENDORSEMENT.

1. WHEREAS, THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN VIOLATES THOSE INALIENABLE HUMAN RIGHTS, AS ENUMERATED IN THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND IN THE U.N. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD,SPECIFICALLY,
1. UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

   ARTICLE 2:

   "EVERYONE IS ENTITLED TO ALL THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS SET FORTH IN THIS DECLARATION, WITHOUT DISTINCTION OF ANY KIND, SUCH AS RACE, COLOR, SEX, LANGUGE, RELIGION, POLITICAL OR OTHER OPINION, NATIONAL OR SOCIAL ORIGIN, PROPERTY, BIRTH OR OTHER STATUS"; and

   ARTICLE 3:

   "EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND SECURITY OF PERSON"; and

   ARTICLE 5:

   "NO ONE SHALL BE SUBJECTED TO TORTURE OR TO CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT"; and

2. U.N. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD

   ARTICLE 19. ABUSE AND NEGLECT

   "THE STATE TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM ALL FORMS OF ABUSE, NEGLECT AND EXPLOITATION BY PARENTS OR OTHERS, AND TO UNDERTAKE PREVENTIVE AND TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN THIS REGARD"; and

   ARTICLE 37. TORTURE, CAPITAL PUNISHMENT AND DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY

   "THE STATE TO PROTECT CHILDREN FROM: TORTURE OR OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT; CAPITAL PUNISHMENT OR LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR OFFENSES COMMITTED BY PERSONS BELOW THE AGE OF 18; AND UNLAWFUL OR ARBITRARY DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY. THE RIGHT OF CHILDREN DEPRIVED OF LIBERTY TO BE TREATED WITH HUMANITY AND RESPECT, TO BE SEPARATED FROM ADULTS, TO MAINTAIN CONTACT WITH FAMILY MEMBERS AND TO HAVE PROMPT ACCESS TO LEGAL ASISTANCE"; and

2. WHEREAS, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION  (WHO) ENDORSEMENT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 1979 KHARTOUM SEMINAR ON TRADITIONAL PRACTICES AFFECTING THE HEALTH OF WOMEN WHICH RECOMMENDED THAT GOVERNMENTS ADOPT CLEAR AND DEFINITIVE POLICIES FOR THE ERADICATION OF FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATIONS; and
3. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
   1. AMNENSTY INTERNATIONAL, USA, AFFIRMS THAT THE GENITAL MUTILATION OF CHILDREN VIOLATES THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF CHILDREN, AS CONTAINED IN ARTICLES 2,3 AND 5 OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS; AND ARTICLES 19 AND 37 OF THE U.N. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD; and
   2. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, USA REQUESTS ALL NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS TO PETITION THE WORLD COURT, THE HAGUETO HAVE THE WORLD COURT DECLARE THAT THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN ARE IN VIOLATION OF THE ABOVE SAID ARTICLES OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE U.N. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD; and
   3. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, USA REQUESTS THAT ALL NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS PASS LEGISLATION PROBHITING THE PRACTICE OF TORTURE, CRUELTY, INHUMAN AND DEGRADING TREATMENT THAT IS INHERENT IN THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN THAT ARE CONDUCTED AS A MATTER OF SOCIO-CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS WHICH ARE DE FACTO VIOLATIONS OF THE UNITED NATIONS UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE U.N. CONVENTION ON THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD; and
   4. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, USA REQUEST THAT ALL NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS AND THEIR ASSOCIATED AGENCIES EDUCATE HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, PARENTS AND THE PEOPLE ON THESE ISSUES, SPECIFICALLY, THE MEDICAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SEXUAL AND MENTAL HEALTH HAZARDS INHERENT IN THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN AND TO DISPEL THE MYTHS AND SUPERSTITIONS WHICH ENCOURAGES THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN; and
   5. AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, USA REQUESTS THAT ALL MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS AND AFFILIATES OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MONITOR AND REPORT UPON THE TORTURE AND MUTILATION OF CHILDREN THAT IS INHERENT IN THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN WORLDWIDE; and
   6. THE WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL, USA, RESOLVES TO GIVE FULL MORAL AND POLITICAL SUPPORT TO BRING AN END, WORLDWIDE, TO THE TORTURE AND MUTILATION OF CHILDREN THAT IS INHERENT IN THE GENITAL MUTILATIONS OF CHILDREN.