Logo OII-Europe

OII Europe (Organisation Intersex International Europe) was founded on Human Rights day at the 2nd International Intersex Forum in Stockholm. Find below a media release.

*********************** MEDIA RELEASE *********************

Tuesday 12 December 2012
Stockholm

First ever European Intersex NGO founded.  OII Europe sets up work on Intersex Human Right Issues.

OII Europe, Europe’s first Umbrella-Intersex-NGO was founded on Human Rights Day, 10 December, during the Second Intersex Forum at Stockholm. This is a significant day for the European Intersex Movement and it will ensure the further adoption of Human Rights for Intersex people all over Europe.

Throughout Europe intersex individuals are being subjected to inhumane and degrading surgical, hormonal and other procedures, without consent. This is done at the discretion of doctors and outside legal regulation. The ‘normalisation’ of genitals and the bodies is done so that  intersex people will fit within the sex binary of men and women, irrespective of the wants and desires of the treated individual. Pathologisation of intersex individuals results in gross human rights violations and abuses bodily integrity and personal dignity.

OII Europe is a autonomous part of OII World (Organisation Intersex International World) which was founded in 2002 and has operated since then through its national groups in every region of the world. OII World has national organisations in more than 27 countries and works in more than 15 languages.

OII Europe consist of the national European OII organisations which haved worked to end discrimination against intersex people and to ensure the right of bodily integrity and self determination since 2002.

OII Europe strongly supports and will advocate for the charter of rights formulated by the activists present at the 2nd International Intersex Forum 2012 in Stockholm representing 33 intersex organisations and supportive institutions from all continents. That charter includes:

1. To put an end to mutilating and ‘normalising’ practices such as genital surgeries, psychological and other medical treatments, including infanticide and selective abortion (on the grounds of intersex).

2. To ensure that the personal, free, prior, and fully informed consent of the intersex individual is a compulsory requirement in all medical practices and protocols.

3. Creating and facilitating supportive, safe and celebratory environments for intersex people, their families and surroundings.

4. In view of ensuring the bodily integrity and health of the intersex child, psycho-social support and non-pathologising peer support be provided to parents and/or care providers and the child`s immediate family instead of surgical or other medical treatment unless such interventions are live-saving.

5. The provision of all human rights and citizenship rights to intersex people.

6. The provision of access to one`s own medical records and any documentation, and the affirmation of the intersex person`s right to truth.

7. The acknowledgement and redress of the suffering and injustice caused in the past.

OII Europe will campaign for the respect of intersex people’s human rights on the European and at the national levels and will particularly engage with governments, human rights organisations, commissions and the broader LGBTI activist movement. OII Europe will offer information and training to other NGOs and government bodies.

In the weeks to come a website will set up.

For further information please contact:

Del LaGrace Volcano (OII Sweden; English): +4619335203, dellagracevolcano@mac.com

Dan Christian Ghattas (OII Germany; Deutsch, English): chappygo@gmx.de

Vincent Guillot (OII Francophonie; Francais): oii.francophonie@gmail.com

Dannie Reynal (OII France; Catalan, Francais, English): oii.france@gmail.com