Symphysiotomy group to meet UN watchdog

Members of the Survivors of Symphysiotomy group will tell a United Nations’ watchdog committee on Monday that their plight is a human rights abuse.

The group has rejected the Government’s redress plan because of a refusal to apologise for their suffering and insisting that they give up legal challenges to receive compensation from a €34m fund.

Symphysiotomies were carried out on an estimated 1,500 women in Irish hospitals from the 1940s to the 1980s.

The procedure involved cutting bones holding the pelvis together during childbirth, and left many women suffering chronic pain, incontinence, mobility problems and trauma.

Some 350 survivors still alive would receive between €50,000-€150,000 under the redress scheme

The UN Human Rights’ Committee meets in Geneva on Monday to assess Ireland’s track record on human rights.

SoS Chairperson, Marie O’Connor, said the State had refused to acknowledge that the practice of symphysiotomies was a human rights abuse.

“The performance of symphysiotomy amounted to torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Doctors intentionally inflicted severe pain and suffering on women and girls, some as young as 14, for non-clinical reasons,” said Ms O’Connor.

“In very many cases, the effects of the surgery, have been lifelong and this is what qualifies our complaint for examination.”

At issue is the Government’s failure to provide an effective remedy.

“Two whitewash reports and a skewed grace and favour scheme do not amount to an effective remedy under international law,” said Ms O’Connor.

She said the Walsh Report wrongly justified doctors’ failure to seek patient consent, a point that they will raise with the committee.

“We have the strongest possible support from the Irish Council for Civil Liberties for our case and we look forward very much to joining them in Geneva,” said Ms O’Connor.