World Wide Day of Genital Autonomy (WWDOGA)
On the 7th of May 2012 a court in Germany came to a verdict regarding the legality of circumcision. The court found that non-medical circumcision was an offence based on existing laws. This followed on from a boy who had nearly died from complications after a medically unnecessary circumcision.
Although circumcision was then made permissible, the date of the 7th May has since been commemorated as the World Wide Day of Genital Autonomy (WWDOGA). This is a day to promote personal choice, children’s rights, consent and personal autonomy.
On May 7th this year, we commemorate the 9th anniversary of the Cologne Ruling. 15 Square are proudly supporting and participating in this years events alongside allies from around the world.
More information on this years free events and online presentations can be found here.
This year’s World Wide Day of Genital Autonomy (WWDOGA) main focus is:
Worldwide legal situations
WWDOGA 2021 collects data on legal situations around the world for non-therapeutic genital interventions on minors. This is the first time to there has been an overview of the legal situations that takes all children into account. What do this statistic say? What are the conclusions to be drawn from this? The WWDOGA invites you to dialogue and discussion!
The “World Day of Genital Autonomy” calls for:
- Adherence to and implementation of the UN-Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 2 (protection against discrimination); Article 3 (precedence of children’s well-being); and Article 24 Paragraph 3 (abolishment of traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children).
- Legislative initiatives worldwide that provide for the protection of all children, regardless of gender, from non-therapeutic genital operations.
- Protection of children with atypical sex characteristics from genital surgery and intervention without absolute medical indication.
- An immediate stop to group or mass circumcision of minors for alleged HIV prevention in African countries.
- Public research and education on the consequences of non-therapeutic genital surgery on children in its different forms and social contexts.
15 Square Chief Officer – David Smith for the WWDOGA 2019
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