Commission for Gender Equality calls national Department Of Health to account on progress in forced sterilisation matter.
The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) held a follow-up hearing with the National Department of Health (NDOH) led by its Deputy Director- General Professor Nicholas Crisp, on the forced sterilisation matter. Out of concern over the lack of progress by the NDOH in implementing its investigation recommendations, the CGE exercised its statutory powers in terms of Section 12 (4) (b) of the CGE Act 39 of 1996 to call the NDOH to account, on 29 August 2023.
The CGE also used this opportunity to inform the NDOH of seven Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) complaints that it had received. IGM practices include non-consensual, irreversible, cosmetic genital surgeries, and/or other harmful medical treatments that are done without any medical justification on intersex persons. The NDOH committed to providing a substantive report regarding the forced sterilisation investigation by 29 September 2023. The CGE further requested the NDOH to provide a plan of action regarding the IGM investigation no later than 30 October 2023.
The CGE will wait until the NDOH has submitted its forced sterilization report, before making further public statement on the matter.
Contact Person: Javu Baloyi (Spokesperson)
Email: Javu@cge.org.za
Cell: 083 579 3306
