Summary
Despite the committed legislative and policy measures which
have been taken by Council of Europe member States to protect children
from physical, sexual and mental violence, they continue to be harmed
in many different contexts. One category is particularly worrisome,
namely violations of the physical integrity of children which supporters
tend to present as beneficial to the children themselves despite
evidently negative life-long consequences in many cases: female
genital mutilation, the circumcision of young boys for religious
reasons, medical interventions during the early childhood of intersex
children as well as the submission to or coercion of children into
piercings, tattoos or plastic surgery.
The Parliamentary Assembly should urge member States to promote
further awareness in their societies of the potential risks for
children's physical and mental health of the above-mentioned procedures.
Member States should take legislative and policy measures that help
reinforce child protection in this context by giving primary consideration
to the best interest of the child.
