A group of United Nations (UN) agencies has issued a joint statement calling for a ban on tests meant to assess the virginity of a girl or a woman.

The statement, issued during the World Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) in Rio de Janeiro, stressed that such tests were both unscientific, and a violation of human rights.

The UN agencies are: the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), UN Women and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“So-called ‘virginity testing’ – also often referred to as hymen, ‘two-finger’ or per vaginal examination – is a gynecological inspection of female Instruments carried out in the false belief that it can reliably determine whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse,” the group said.

In a global call to eliminate violence against women and girls everywhere, the UN agencies said that “this medically unnecessary, and often times painful, humiliating and traumatic practice must end”.

The practice is a long-standing tradition documented in at least 20 countries, spanning all regions of the world.

Women and girls are often forced to undergo virginity testing for various reasons, including requests from parents or potential partners to establish marriage eligibility or even from potential employers.

It is mostly performed by doctors, police officers, or community leaders on women and girls, in order to assess their virtue, honour or social value.

In their statement, the UN agencies explained that the practice has “no scientific or clinical basis” and that “there is no examination that can prove a girl or woman has had sex”.

The agencies added that the “appearance of girl’s or woman’s hymen cannot prove whether they have had sexual intercourse or are sexually active or not”.

In addition, the UN agencies denounced virginity testing as a violation of the rights of girls and women, which can be detrimental to their physical, psychological and social well-being.

The examination can be “painful, humiliating and traumatic” and reinforces stereotyped notions of female sexuality and gender inequality.

In some regions, it is common for health professionals to perform virginity testing on victims of rape, supposedly to ascertain whether or not rape occurred, they said.

Given the lack of clinical basis, the procedure is deemed “unnecessary” and “can cause pain and mimic the original act of sexual violence, exacerbating survivors’ sense of disempowerment and cause re-victimisation,” the agencies said.

“The result of this unscientific test can impact upon judicial proceedings, often to the detriment of victims and in favour of perpetrators, sometimes resulting in perpetrators being acquitted.

“Given that these procedures are unnecessary and potentially harmful, it is unethical for doctors or other health providers to undertake them.

“Such procedures must never be carried out,” the joint statement read, calling for a collaborative response across societies, supported by the public health community and all health professionals.

Dr Princess Simelela, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Family, Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, said: “Health professionals can be great agents for change”.

“With support from health systems and governments, they can recognise that ‘virginity testing’ has no medical or clinical bases, refuse to carry out the harmful practice, and educate the public about this,” Simelela noted.

The WHO official added that, in doing so, they would be “upholding the Hippocratic oath of ‘do no harm’ and safeguarding the human rights of girls and women in their care”.

News via Gistmore :: http://gistmore.com/un-describes-virginity-testing-human-rights-violation

testing of virginity? i don't buy that idea, it should be discarded by wherever its been practiced.


i quite agree with the UN that its a violation of human rights

that's why been a guy is bae the test no dey work for Male...

Huh

Most naija babes found way around virginity test a long tym ago...

Hint; give the doctor a free kpekus and he will confirm you 100% virgin...even though it's a long commissioned express way.

Naija, I hail thee!!!

Mtcheeew.. how I wan know if my wife be virgin? No be to test am virginically

Not in nigeria, pls!
Some of our naija sisters were birthed without hymen as certified olo......i didn't say nofyn.

I agree with the UN 100%, this bullshiiit must end especially in Africa, it is humiliating and dehumanizing.
There are other pressing issues in the continent other than chuku chuku girls privates in the name of virginity test

Noted. Buhari is a terrorist and a goat

Ok

Yes please.

Virginity sometimes is overrated please.

Just saying.

They have a point, or not??

Where them dey check am

All this trash only happen in Africa. Traditions that have dragged the continent back for centuries. The rest of the world are thinking of going beyond the moon. Ours is to test virginity. Smh.

Tell AFRICANS

breakeven:
All this trash only happen in Africa. Traditions that have dragged the continent back for centuries. The rest of the world are thinking of going beyond the moon. Ours is to test virginity. Smh.

Africa is not backward because of tradition..Africans are not more traditional than the Chinese or the Japanese or even Indians..but these people are making rapid developments on all spheres of life..Africa is backward because of the lack of quality education, poverty and the mismanagement of resources..there are European countries with very bizarre traditions and that has not hampered their growth..

finally!!!

I always cringe when I hear that parents test their children for virginity. I never understood it, neither did I find it funny.

parents like to see themselves as God, controlling every aspect of a child's life. if God wants to monitor us the way parents do ehn, you would be afraid to cough.

please let this stop!! I even heard they use a full blown egg to test. wtf!!! a girl's private parts is hers and she can do whatever she wants to do with it. Train your children well and leave the rest!

Chineke1stSon:

Africa is not backward because of tradition..Africans are not more traditional than the Chinese or the Japanese or even Indians..but these people are making rapid developments on all spheres of life..Africa is backward because of the lack of quality education, poverty and the mismanagement of resources..there are European countries with very bizarre traditions and that has not hampered their growth..

oh please!! even the European and Americans have traditions. we all do. while theirs is progressive, ours is backward, irritating, breaching on dehumanizing and pure witch craft. I agree with you that we have other problems but our traditions are still dehumanizing..

Cocao:
Yes please.

Virginity sometimes is overrated please.

Just saying.

Tell ur daughter

UN should educate Nigeria Islamic federation about this. Where is Buhari and his gangs

breakeven:
All this trash only happen in Africa. Traditions that have dragged the continent back for centuries. The rest of the world are thinking of going beyond the moon. Ours is to test virginity. Smh.

No wonder you are backward. OP quoted Brazil as a case study, you are thinking of Africa. Am so sure you have not created anything

breakeven:
All this trash only happen in Africa. Traditions that have dragged the continent back for centuries. The rest of the world are thinking of going beyond the moon. Ours is to test virginity. Smh.

Mr man, Fi ara buruku bale. Where did you read that the message is directed at Africa? Is this all about a particular continent or region?
How many places in Africa have you been to? How many of such experience have you personally witnessed in those place?
Why you people like spewing rubbish? If you don't have something sensible to say, you better keep shut.

Nonsense

HannahHitler:
oh please!! even the European and Americans have traditions. we all do. while theirs is progressive, ours is backward, irritating, breaching on dehumanizing and pure witch craft. I agree with you that we have other problems but our traditions are still dehumanizing..

Pray tell, what are the american traditions that are 'progressive' and those of africa that are not?

Cocao:
Yes please.

Virginity sometimes is overrated please.

Just saying.

So why do u ladies lie about it?

Lol....thats how she closed legs seriously tight just because her dad takes her for check up every 3 months.......



I don't support it sha oh, but it keeps little fear on dem virgin Girls....... So they don't burst it prematurely

Cocao:
Yes please.
Virginity sometimes is overrated please.
Just saying.

Lagos Ibadan I hail u ma

G1STMORE:
A group of United Nations (UN) agencies has issued a joint statement calling for a ban on tests meant to assess the virginity of a girl or a woman.

The statement, issued during the World Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) in Rio de Janeiro, stressed that such tests were both unscientific, and a violation of human rights.

The UN agencies are: the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), UN Women and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“So-called ‘virginity testing’ – also often referred to as hymen, ‘two-finger’ or per vaginal examination – is a gynecological inspection of female Instruments carried out in the false belief that it can reliably determine whether a woman or girl has had vaginal intercourse,” the group said.

In a global call to eliminate violence against women and girls everywhere, the UN agencies said that “this medically unnecessary, and often times painful, humiliating and traumatic practice must end”.

The practice is a long-standing tradition documented in at least 20 countries, spanning all regions of the world.

Women and girls are often forced to undergo virginity testing for various reasons, including requests from parents or potential partners to establish marriage eligibility or even from potential employers.

It is mostly performed by doctors, police officers, or community leaders on women and girls, in order to assess their virtue, honour or social value.

In their statement, the UN agencies explained that the practice has “no scientific or clinical basis” and that “there is no examination that can prove a girl or woman has had sex”.

The agencies added that the “appearance of girl’s or woman’s hymen cannot prove whether they have had sexual intercourse or are sexually active or not”.

In addition, the UN agencies denounced virginity testing as a violation of the rights of girls and women, which can be detrimental to their physical, psychological and social well-being.

The examination can be “painful, humiliating and traumatic” and reinforces stereotyped notions of female sexuality and gender inequality.

In some regions, it is common for health professionals to perform virginity testing on victims of rape, supposedly to ascertain whether or not rape occurred, they said.

Given the lack of clinical basis, the procedure is deemed “unnecessary” and “can cause pain and mimic the original act of sexual violence, exacerbating survivors’ sense of disempowerment and cause re-victimisation,” the agencies said.

“The result of this unscientific test can impact upon judicial proceedings, often to the detriment of victims and in favour of perpetrators, sometimes resulting in perpetrators being acquitted.

“Given that these procedures are unnecessary and potentially harmful, it is unethical for doctors or other health providers to undertake them.

“Such procedures must never be carried out,” the joint statement read, calling for a collaborative response across societies, supported by the public health community and all health professionals.

Dr Princess Simelela, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Family, Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, said: “Health professionals can be great agents for change”.

“With support from health systems and governments, they can recognise that ‘virginity testing’ has no medical or clinical bases, refuse to carry out the harmful practice, and educate the public about this,” Simelela noted.

The WHO official added that, in doing so, they would be “upholding the Hippocratic oath of ‘do no harm’ and safeguarding the human rights of girls and women in their care”.

News via Gistmore :: http://gistmore.com/un-describes-virginity-testing-human-rights-violation

there is no problem with checking virginity
as long as it's not compulsory ( as In they are not forced to ) , it's not painful (they ensure their patients don't experience harm) and long as the test is accurate .


I hate when the UN or ( calling it as it is) the west , try to change people beliefs and systems to match theirs because they feel that they are the only ones that are correct


I'm some cultures women should be virgins before marriage, and they create systems to confirm the virginity , it's their culture ! the UN should mind their fvcking business !