Resolution:
LET BOYS DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER OR NOT THEY WANT TO BE CIRCUMCIZED
Circumcision without a medical indication on a person unable to provide informed consent conflicts with basic principles of medical ethics, particularly because the operation is irreversible, painful and may cause serious complications. There are no health-related reasons to circumcise young boys in the Nordic countries. Arguments that may argue in favour of circumcision in adult men are of little relevance to children in the Nordic area. Boys can make up their own minds about the operation when they get old enough to provide informed consent.

As ombudsmen for children and experts in children’s health we consider circumcision of underage boys without a medical indication to be in conflict with the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child, article 12, about children’s right to express their views about their own matters, and article 24, pt. 3, which says that children must be protected against traditional rituals that may be harmful to their health. In 2013, the UN Human Rights Council has urged all states to end operations that compromise the integrity and dignity of children and are prejudicial to the health of both girls and boys. We consider it central that parental rights in this matter do not have precedence over children’s right to bodily integrity. What is in children’s best interest must always come first, even if this may limit grown up persons’ right to carry out their religious or traditional rituals.

The Nordic ombudsmen for children and experts in children’s health therefore want to work towards a situation, where a circumcision can only be performed, if a boy, who has reached the age and level of maturity required to understand necessary medical information, consents to the operation. We wish a respectful dialogue among all parties involved about how to best ensure boys’ self determination with respect to circumcision. We also urge our governments to inform about children’s rights and health-related risks and consequences of the operation. We ask the Nordic governments to take the necessary steps towards ensuring that boys get the right to decide for themselves whether or not they want to be circumcised.

Oslo, 30th of September 2013

Signed by
Anne Lindboe, Norwegian ombudsman for children
Fredrik Malmberg, Swedish ombudsman for children
Maria Kaisa Aula, Finnish ombudsman for children
Per Larsen, Chairman of the Danish Children’s Council
Margrét Maria Sigurdardóttir, Icelandic ombudsman for children
Anja Chemnitz Larsen, Greenlandic Children’s spokesperson

as well as by representatives of Nordic associations of pediatricians and pediatric surgeons

STATEMENT ON NON-THERAPEUTIC CIRCUMCISION OF BOYS

The penile foreskin is a natural and integral part
of the normal male genitalia. The foreskin has a number of important
protective and sexual functions. It protects the penile glans against
trauma and contributes to the natural functioning of the penis during
sexual activity. Ancient historic accounts and recent scientific
evidence leave little doubt that during sexual activity the foreskin is a
functional and highly sensitive, erogenous structure, capable of
providing pleasure to its owner and his potential partners.

As clinical sexologists, we are concerned about the human rights
aspects associated with the practice of non-therapeutic circumcision of
young boys. To cut off the penile foreskin in a boy with normal, healthy
genitalia deprives him of his right to grow up and make his own
informed decision.

Unless there are compelling medical reasons to
operate before a boy reaches an age and a level of maturity at which he
is capable of providing informed consent, the decision to alter the
appearance, sensitivity and functionality of the penis should be left to
its owner, thus upholding his fundamental rights to protection and
bodily integrity.

Every person’s right to bodily integrity goes hand
in hand with his or her sexual autonomy. By signing this statement we
support the resolution of September 30, 2013, issued by the Nordic
ombudsmen for children, and the resolution of October 1, 2013, issued by
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, in which
governments are urged to take the necessary measures to protect
children’s bodily integrity with regard to non-therapeutic genital
surgery.

Helsinki, October 10th, 2013

Maaret Kallio

President of the Nordic Association for Clinical Sexology

On behalf of all six member organizations:

The Finnish Association for Sexology (Contact: Maaret Kallio; [email protected])
The Norwegian Society for Clinical Sexology (Contact: Elsa Almås; [email protected])
The Danish Association for Clinical Sexology (Contact: Inger Bugge; [email protected])
The Swedish Association for Sexology (Contact: Suzann Larsdotter; [email protected])
The Icelandic Sexology Association (Contact: Sigga Dögg Arnardottir; [email protected])
The Estonian Academic Society of Sexology (Contact: Paul Korrovits; [email protected])