Human rights groups call on Canada to end coerced sterilization of indigenous women

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Human rights groups call on Canada to end coerced sterilization of indigenous women

Amnesty International said it will lobby UN committee to pressure government as at least 60 women join class action lawsuit

Leyland Cecco in Toronto
Sun 18 Nov 2018 11.00 GMT

Human rights groups are calling on Canada to end the coerced sterilization of indigenous women, as a growing number of victims seek to join a class action lawsuit against government and medical professionals.

At least 60 women have joined a pending class action lawsuit against doctors and health officials in the province of Saskatchewan, seeking compensation for the violation of their rights.

The lawsuit has yet to be certified by a judge, but this week Amnesty International announced it will lobby the UN committee against torture to increase pressure on the Canadian government to act.

“Ultimately, this is about women who are supposed to have the right to make decisions about their bodies, having that right taken away from them,” said Amnesty’s Jacqueline Hansen.

The women allege their fallopian tubes were tied, burned or cut in public hospitals when the women were unable to give sufficient consent – which would be a breach of both medical ethics and the law.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/18/canada-indigenous-women-coerced-sterlilization-class-action-lawsuit

[Bayard]

1. How is this going on in this day and age?

"Some of the complainants have said they were told they would not be allowed to see their newborn child unless they agreed to the procedure." Trying to curtail "undesirable" members of society.

The article doesn't say if these are specific doctors or hospitals responsible.