‘Virginity testing’ is a human rights violation, says UN

The UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) and UN Women and the World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared ‘virginity testing’ a violation of human rights. Sun News reports.

The Agencies are both calling for a ban on various tests carried out, with the intension to ascertain if a girl or woman is still a virgin.

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

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

The UN Agencies made a call to all nations to ensure a stop in violence against women. 

“this medically unnecessary, and often times painful, humiliating and traumatic practice must end”.

The practice of virginity testing is an age-long one which reports have said is established in over 20 countries.

The women are forced to undergo this tests on the request of prospective marriage partners, their parents or even potential employers.

In many countries, these tests are seen as a means to ascertain a credible marriage.

It is carried out on girls and women, by community leaders, doctors or even police officers in some places.

They do this to determine the lady’s 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 also added that “appearance of girl’s or woman’s hymen cannot prove whether they have had sexual intercourse or are sexually active or not”.

The UN agencies condemned virginity testing as a violation of the rights of girls and women, saying it has negative effects to their physical, psychological and social well-being.

These tests can be “painful, humiliating and traumatic” and establishes the idea of female sexuality and gender inequality.

In some places health professionals perform virginity tests on victims of rape, supposedly to ascertain whether or not rape occurred, they said.

The group added that Given the lack of clinical basis, the procedure is deemed “unnecessary” and “can cause pain and mimic the original act of sexual violence.

“It exacerbates survivors’ sense of disempowerment and cause re-victimisation,”

“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”  the Agencies said. 

WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Family, Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health, Dr. Princess Simelela 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.

She also noted 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”.