Successful work of TERRE DES FEMMES
National office of
TERRE DES FEMMES -
Menschenrechte für die Frau e. V.
Brunnenstr. 128 • 13355 Berlin
Tel. 030 40504699-0 • Fax 030 40504699-99
E-Mail: info@frauenrechte.de
Berlin, 25/09./2013. On the 25th September 2013 the medical diagnosis key (ICD-10-DE 2014) will be publicised and the feminine genital mutilation will finally be part of the publication. On this basis the public sickness insurance companies are now compelled paying for the costs for the medical treatment and the consultation of girls and women, who suffered from feminine genitial mutilation.
"The inclusion into the medical diagnosis key is a great success for the about 24.000 girls and women living in Germany, who are suffering from the consequences of the violation of their human rights. These women have a right to medical treatment! Already simple operation can eradicate complications during birth, pain during intercourse and chronic ailments“ explained Irmingard Schewe-Gerigk, Chairwoman of TERRE DES FEMMES. More than 6.000 girls belong to the "risk group genital mutilation" in Germany.
For many years TERRE DES FEMMES fought for final acceptance of the public sickness insurance companies covering the medical costs for necessary operations of the victims of genital mutilation. More than 21.000 people supported with their signature a campaign of TERRE DES FEMMES in 2011 for inclusion of genital mutilation into the diagnosis key ICD-10. Private sickness insurance companies continue to leisurely decide upon the acceptance of costs, application refusal or even exclusion pf women suffering from genital mutilation.
Under the chiffre N90.80-N90.84 the various different types of genital mutilation are defined by the World health organisation. Female doctors require these numbers, in order to enable them to charge for their services and (e.g. sickness certificate) also to record the diagnosises. "Medical personell often knows very little about female genital mutilation. Due to the diagnosis key they now have to deal with the issue of the various forms of genital mutilation and as such also with the backgrounds. This will ensure improved medical care for the affected women.“, stated Irmingard Schewe-Gerigk.
TERRE DES FEMMES is a charitable organisation for human rights for girls and women, who supports the affected women and girls through targeted action, public relation work, individual counselling, support of specific projects and international networking. TERRE DES FEMMES investigates, where myth and tradition makes the lives for women much harder, protests, when human rights are are trimmed and demands a liveworthy world for all girls and women - on equal terms, self-determined and liberated! Our focus is on domestic and sexual abuse, arranged marriage and crimes of honour, female genital mutilation, trafficking in women and forced prostitution. The association was founded in 1981 and the national office is located in Berlin. More information can be found under www.frauenrechte.de
All information is without guarantee!