Australian Human Rights Commission Sponsors Report on Sterilization of Disabled Girls & Young Women
A report titled The Sterilisation of Girls and Young Women: Issues and
Progress, by researchers Susan Brady, John Briton and Sonia Grover, was
released today.
The report, commissioned by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity
Commission to assess progress since the 1997 report on the same issue,
reviews statistical and anecdotal data on unlawful sterilisations, the
support available to girls and young women and their parents concerned
about menstruation and fertility, and discusses simplifying the legal
process to make it more accessible and less adversarial.
Sex Discrimination Commissioner Susan Halliday and Disability
Discrimination Commissioner Dr Sev Ozdowski, have made the report
available to stimulate further debate on the important issues raised by
the research.
"The report makes an important contribution to the ongoing community
debate about the sterilisation of young women and girls with a
disability," the Commissioners said in a joint statement.
"In particular, it contributes to discussion about ensuring better
protection of the human rights of girls and young women with a
disability and, in addition, it encourages a less adversarial process
for making decisions about sterilisation."
"It will also contribute to debate about necessary education programs
and the support and assistance provided to girls and young women with a
disability and their families in dealing with menstruation and
fertility. Parents play a key role in ensuring the well-being of girls
and young women with disabilities and clearly must have access to
information and services to assist them fulfill that role."
To coincide with the release of the report, the Commission will:
- Ask the Federal Attorney General and Minister for Health to seek a review of the Medicare Benefit Schedule to require Medicare claims for sterilisation procedures for minors (under 18) to be accompanied by either a formal authority or full clinical notes on the need for the procedure;
- Urge the Attorney General to place the issue of how to best achieve a non-adversarial and inexpensive formal approval process on the agenda of the Standing Committee of Attorneys' General;
- Liaise with peak government and non-government disability service providers to encourage them to ensure that local service providers have adequate information about the law in relation to sterilisation of children, have appropriate policies and procedures in place, and have available the resource materials required to enable them to effectively assist families in dealing with fertility and menstrual management.
For further information, contact: Janine MacDonald (02) 9284 9880 or
0412 783 631.
The report is available on the Commission's website at
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/sterilisation/index.html
|
