Resolution on “Sex Selection for Non-medical purposes”

(Reviewed and approved by FIGO Executive Board – September 2005 and adopted by the FIGO General Assembly in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 7th November 2006)

Preamble

- Noting that the international context of sex selection is grounded in a setting where the majority of women are disadvantaged in enjoyment of economic, social, educational, health, and other rights.

- Noting that the global impact of the desire to achieve sex selection has resulted in systematic rights abuses such as selective abortion of female foetuses, female infanticide, neglect of girl children and failure to provide either access to or support for health care of girls.

- Noting that sex selection has contributed to a global imbalance of variable intensity in the sex composition of populations.

- Considering that it is possible to select the sex of an embryo or foetus for non-medical reasons by the same techniques that are usually performed for prevention of sex linked disabilities, and that the techniques for sex selection have expanded throughout pre conception and post conception, to include sperm separation, pre implantation genetic diagnosis, identification of "Y" foetal DNA in maternal blood by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), chorionic villous sampling, echography and amniocentesis

- Noting that in reviewing medical and scientific association guidelines throughout the world, common ethical issues raised include concerns about the selection for children with presumed gender characteristics desired by their parents rather than being an end in and of themselves.

- Recognizing that Legal approaches to sex selection for non-medical reasons vary by country and range from no specific regulation of this issue to complete prohibition and criminalization.

- Recalling the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women

FIGO

- Affirms that while procreative liberty warrants protection, this is limited when its exercise results in sex discrimination, and that the individual right to procreative liberty needs to be balanced by the communal need to protect the dignity and equality of women and children.

- Deplores all forms of discrimination against women and the use of any medical techniques in any way that would exacerbate discrimination against either sex.

- Affirms that selection is of particular ethical concern when it is driven by value differences ascribed to each sex or that arise from pervasive gender stereotypes.

- Recognizes that the use of sex selection to avoid sex linked genetic disabilities is generally considered justifiable on medical grounds.

FIGO urges member societies to:

- Ensure that their members and their staff are accountable for ensuring that their techniques for sex selection are employed only for medical indications or purposes that do not contribute to social discrimination on the basis of sex or gender.

- Work with their governments to assure that sex selection is strictly regulated to contribute to the elimination of sex and gender discrimination

- Advocate and promote strategies that will encourage and facilitate the achievement of gender equality

London, March 2005