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The '''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty that commits states parties to respect the civil and political rights of individuals, including the right to life, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, electoral rights and rights to due process and a fair trial.<refname="iccpr1966>{{REFweb

}}</ref> It was adopted by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2200A (XXI) on 16 December 1966 and entered into force 23 March 1976 after its thirty-fifth ratification or accession. (Article 49 allowed that the covenant would enter into force three months after the date of the deposit of the thirty-fifth instrument of ratification or accession.) As of September 2019, the Covenant has 173 parties and six more signatories without ratification, most notably the People's Republic of [[China ]] and Cuba;<ref>{{REFweb

The ICCPR is considered a seminal document in the history of international law and [[human rights]], forming part of the ''International Bill of Human Rights'', along with the ''International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights'' (ICESCR) and the ''[[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]]'' (UDHR).<ref>{{REFweb

''IntactiWiki non-binding comment:'': Self-determination is the right to decide for one's self. This provides for [[genital autonomy]], which is the right to decide for one's self if one's genitals are to be surgically altered. [[Genital autonomy]] is provided by delaying a non-therapeutic surgical operation on a child until the child is of age at which he or she can decide for one's self.

Article 7 ("Degrading treatment") provides:

No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. In particular, no one shall be subjected without his free consent to medical or scientific experimentation.</blockquote>

''IntactiWiki non-binding comment:'' : Non-therapeutic circumcision of children is cruel because it permanently deprives the victim of the optimum sexual function and pleasure for all of his life. It is degrading because it amputates a portion of the penis and renders it less functional.

Article 9 ("Security of person") provides:

''IntactiWiki non-binding comment:'': Security of person is the right to bodily integrity. Bodily integrity is compromised when part of the penis is amputated, so non-therapeutic circumcision of non-consenting children violates this provision of international law.

''IntactiWiki non-binding comment:'': When a child is denied protection from harmful, tissue-removing, non-therapeutic circumcision, this right is violated.

==Superiority of international treaty law==The [[ICCPR]] is a multilateral international treaty and is a part of international law. Treaties are superior law to ordinary domestic law, because they contain various commitments made by each state-party. When there is a conflict between domestic law and international treaty law, the treaty law is supreme while the domestic law which is in conflict is without force or effect, or in other words, is nullified.<ref>[{{REFdocument |url=https://legal.un.org/ilc/texts/instruments/english/conventions/1_1_1969.pdf |title=Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties] (1969), : Article 27. |date=1969 |chapter= |format=PDF |accessdate=2022-04-12}}</ref> Most nations are a state-party to the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties. {{LINKS}}* {{REFdocument |url=https://treaties.un.org/doc/Treaties/1976/03/19760323%2006-17%20AM/Ch_IV_04.pdf |title=International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (official document) |publisher=United Nations |date=1967 |accessdate=2022-04-12}}