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Inclusion International Denounces “the Ashley Treatment”
[Last updated Tuesday, January 9, 2007]
Inclusion International and its more than 500,000 individual members around the world expressed its condemnation of the “Ashley Treatment.” The “Ashley Treatment” is the name being given to a collection of medical interventions including hysterectomy, breast bud removal and the use of hormone treatment to stunt growth and stop development into adulthood. It is being used at the request of parents of a nine-year old US girl who has a severe disability to prevent her from growing as she ages.
Diane Richler, President of inclusion International decried the treatment as threefold discrimination against Ashley as a person with a disability, a girl and a child. “Just last month we celebrated the adoption of the new United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with a Disability,” said Richler. “Ashley’s situation teaches us that our celebrations were premature. Until the Convention is fully ratified and implemented, discrimination against Ashley and millions in similar situations will continue.” The Convention specifically recognizes the need for special caution in protecting the rights of women and children, for awareness-raising “including at the family level…and foster(ing) respect for the rights of persons with a disability”, for combating stereotypes, for equal treatment under the law, including supports for decision-making, freedom from degrading treatment and the right to ‘full physical development’.
Inclusion International is a federation of national family-based organizations in more than 115 countries, so its members identify strongly with Ashley’s parents. Parents should not be forced into making such hideous choices. Especially in a country with the wealth and resources of the United States, supports should be available so that Ashley could be supported to remain with her family and to grow and develop to her maximum. “It is when our countries and communities let families down, and leave them the full responsibility of care that families are sometimes pushed to make choices that would be unthinkable if their personal and financial resources were not being stretched to the breaking point,” concluded Richler.
For further information contact:
Diane Richler,
President
+1 (416) 661-7754
dianer@inclusion-international.org
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