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'''Human rights''' are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.<ref>{{REFweb
|url=https://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/human-rights/
}}</ref>
The practice of non-therapeutic circumcision, which is rooted in antiquity, predates recorded history, and started re-instituted in the 19th century for alleged medical reasons, predates the inauguration of the human rights era in 1945. The advent of and recognition of human rights for all (including patients) has profoundly altered medical ethics and the acceptability of non-therapeutic child circumcision.
Children, unlike adults, possess two sets of human rights. UNICEF says:
|date=1967
|accessdate=2019-11-04
}}</ref> That ''Covenant'', which is international law, has several provisions, which are applicable to the circumcision of children.
The General Assembly adopted the ''Convention on the Rights of the Child'' (CRC) in 1989 (Twenty-two years later). The CRC does not include certain rights of children that were already protected by the ICCPR.
<blockquote>
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>
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 nine====
Article 9 provides:
Everyone has the right to liberty and security of person.
</blockquote>
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.
====Article twenty-four====
Article 24 provides:
Every child shall have, without any discrimination as to race, colour, sex, language, religion, national or social origin, property or birth, the right to such measures of protection as are required by his status as a minor, on the part of his family, society and the State.
</blockquote>
When a child is denied protection from non-therapeutic circumcision, this right is violated.
==Specific children's rights applicable to non-therapeutic circumcision==
|accessdate=2020-02-02
}}</ref>
In addition to possible death, bleeding, infection, and surgical misadventure that may result in various injuries, including loss of the penis are more common occurences.
==Acceptance of international human rights law in the United States of America==
[https://www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/articlevi Article Six] of the Constitution of the United States makes treaties part of the "supreme law of the land".
The Congress of the United States of America, therefore, historically has been protective of the sovereign rights of the United States and reluctant to surrender them by treaty. The ICCPR and the CRC are multi-lateral treaties.
The United States Senate ratified the ICCPR in 1992, but it doing so, it took an extraordinary number of reservations, understandings, and declarations. With these reservations, the ICCPR does not provide a cause for action in United States courts.<ref>{{REFdocument
|publisher=Royal Dutch Medical Association (KNMG)
|format=PDF
|date=2010-05-27
|accessdate=2020-02-06
}} [https://www.doctorsopposingcircumcision.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/knmg-non-therapeutic-circumcision-of-male-minors-27-05-2010.pdf KNMG: Non-therapeutic circumcision of male minors.]
* {{REFjournal