We recognize the inherent right of
all human beings to an intact body. Without religious or racial prejudice,
we affirm this basic human right.
We recognize the foreskin, clitoris
and labia are normal, functional body parts.
Parents and/ or guardians do not
have the right to consent to the surgical modifications of their
children's normal genitalia.
Physicians and other health-care
providers have a responsibility to refuse to remove or mutilate normal
body parts.
The only persons who may consent to
medically unnecessary procedures upon themselves are the individuals who
have reached the age of consent (adulthood) and being fully informed about
the risks and benefits of the procedure.
We categorically state that
circumcision has unrecognized victims.
In view of the serious physical and
psychological consequences what we have witnessed in victims of
circumcision, we hereby oppose the performance of a single additional
unnecessary foreskin, clitoral, or labial amputation procedure.
We oppose any further studies which
involves the performance of the circumcision procedure upon unconsenting
minors. We support further studies which involve identification of the
effects of circumcision.
Physicians and other health-care
providers do have a responsibility to teach hygiene and care of normal
body parts and explain their normal anatomical and physiological
development and function throughout life.
We place the medical community on
notice that it is being held accountable for misconstruing the scientific
database available on human circumcision in the world today.
Physicians who practice routine
circumcision are violating the first maxim of medical practice, "PIMUM
NON NOCERE" " First Do No Harm ", and anyone practicing
mutilation is violating the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human
Rights. "NO ONE SHALL BE SUBJECTED TO TORTURE OR TO CRUEL, INHUMANE
OR DEGRADING TREATMENT"
Adopted by the General Assembly
First International Symposium on
Circumcision
March 1 - 3, 1989 Anaheim, California