Minister to examine need for law on non-medical circumcisions

Guzenina-Richardson promises to raise issue in government

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Minister of Social Services Maria Guzenina-Richardson (SDP) plans to examine whether or not there is a need to pass legislation in Finland about male circumcisions performed for non-medical reasons.
      “The matter needs to be discussed within the government. I plan to raise the issue in the ministerial committee on social and health policy”, Guzenina-Richardson said on Tuesday to Helsingin Sanomat.
      Preparations for legislation on the matter began in the early part of the new century, but it did not go anywhere. Guzenina-Richardson’s predecessor, Paula Risikko (Nat. Coalition Party), did not feel that legislation was needed.
     
On Monday Helsingin Sanomat wrote that the legal status of circumcisions for boys was unclear in Finland. Different courts have rendered differing decisions on the acceptability of the procedures.
      Guzenina-Richardson said that the issue is a new one for her, as it was not discussed at all in the government formation talks. She currently does not have a position on whether or not a law should be passed, and what it should include.
     
“I want to familiarise myself with the matter”, she said, adding that the most important aspect of the matter is that the health of the child must take priority.
      “There are many points of view in this. Some feel that the best way to protect the children is to ban the operations, and some feel that the best way is to perform the operations as part of public health care.”
     
The minister also plans to take up the matter in January when she meets her Swedish colleagues. Sweden has a law specifically addressing the issue of boys’ non-medical circumcisions. The operations in Sweden have been declared legal under certain circumstances.
      “I plan to ask what kinds of experiences they have about the legislation”, Guzenina-Richardson said.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Prosecutor calls for suspended sentences for parents and man who performed religious circumcisions (20.12.2011)
  No legislation in Finland yet on religious-based child circumcision (19.12.2011)
  Appeals court overturns conviction of parents who had son circumcised (31.3.2011)
  Legislation on circumcision stalled (14.4.2010)
  Supreme Court: Properly performed religious based male circumcision no crime (17.10.2008)

Helsingin Sanomat