Russian authorities remind about the ban on girls' circumcision

The removal of clitoris is not on the list of allowed medical services; and such surgeries on girls contain signs of a criminal offense. This was declared by the "Roszdravnadzor" (the Russian Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare) after checking a Moscow clinic where female circumcision was performed.

In November this year, the "Meduza" edition reported that the clinic website offered services of girls' circumcision (clitorectomy). The clinic refuted the facts that such surgeries were made on minors. Anna Kuznetsova, the Russian Children's Ombudsperson, has referred the issue of clitorectomy to the medical sphere, which caused outrage in social networks.

The list of medical services approved by the Russian Ministry of Public Health includes a plastic surgery of the clitoris, but not complete removal thereof; and such operations on young girls are banned, the "Roszdravnadzor" has stated.

"The medical organization is instructed to eliminate the violations; and a repeated check is scheduled," the Federal Service's website says.

Let us remind you that according to a study conducted by the "Legal Initiative", in Dagestan, every year about 1240 girls become victims of female genital mutilation. The authors of the study stated that the practice of female circumcision is done with the tacit support of men, while the state is not trying to stop it.