‘No steps taken to ban sex-selective surgeries’

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) on Tuesday said that despite its suggestion to ban medically unnecessary, sex-selective surgeries on intersex infants, no step has been taken by the state government on the issue so far. The rights body was responding to a PIL filed in the Delhi High Court by the non-government trust Srishti Madurai Educational Research Foundation.

The DCPCR had considered the opinions of Delhi Medical Council and the Department of Health and Family and came to a conclusion in January 2021, that the Delhi government should declare a ban on such surgeries on intersex infants and children except in cases of life-threatening situations. However, no steps have been taken so far towards implementation of this suggestion of the DCPCR.

The petitioner claimed to have done extensive work on issues pertaining to human rights violations of intersex people. The plea highlighted instances where intersex people are treated as disabled. They are approached through a medical lens, reducing intersex people to an impairment leading to medical interventions. This can lead to long-term impairments and requiring lifetime medical care, the plea stated. 
It was also highlighted that most of the times these surgeries are conducted without free and autonomous consent.

What the plea said?
The plea highlighted intersex people are treated as disabled. They are approached through a medical lens, reducing intersex people to an impairment leading to medical interventions