Ban sex-related surgeries on infants: Delhi child rights body

NEW DELHI: Taking notices of plea filed by Satendra Singh and others over instances of inter-sex people being treated as disabled, the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) has recommended ban on medically unnecessary sex-normalising surgeries on intersex infants on Thursday

The order issued by chief rights body says, "There are instances wherein intersex people are treated as disabled, and hence are approached through a medical lens. Reducing intersex people to an ‘impairment’ leading to medical interventions that can lead to long-term impairments and requiring lifetime medical care."

DCPCR chairman Anurag Kundu has appealed to the Delhi government to declare a ‘ban’ on medically unnecessary, sex-selective surgeries on intersex children except in cases of life-threatening situations and advises the government accordingly.

The DCPCR order says that earlier in 2014, the Supreme Court in a matter had categorically stated that "no one shall be forced to undergo medical procedures, including sex reassignment surgeries, sterilization or hormonal therapy, as a requirement for legal recognition of their gender identity".

"Commission takes into notice the recommendations of UN Committee for the Rights of Persons with Disability (CRPD) based on the submission of Srishti Madurai to the Government of India in September 2019, which includes that the government must take measures to prevent sex assignment or sex- normalizing surgeries on intersex children," DCPCR says further.