Joe O'Reilly (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 77: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will raise the matter of parents in India having the sex of their young daughters changed to male from as young as one year old with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights, with a view to preventing this practice from continuing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19660/11]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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I am aware that there have been media reports that surgical procedures were carried out on young girls to change their sex to male in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. I understand that the Indian National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, a statutory body, has demanded an investigation into the allegations and that the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh has ordered such an inquiry. I am also aware that several human rights organisations in India are active on the issue. Officials from my Department and our Embassy in New Delhi will continue to monitor developments in this matter.

Ireland is committed to the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and is involved in a variety of initiatives at international level to this end, such as playing an active role in the negotiation and adoption of resolutions at the UN General Assembly and the UN Human Rights Council aimed at promoting the rights of women and girls. Furthermore, Ireland actively participates in the Commission on the Status of Women under the UN Economic and Social Council. Ireland was to the fore in promoting the establishment of UN Women, the new UN agency working for gender equality and women's empowerment, and has provided over €1.8 million since its establishment earlier this year for its work in developing countries.

Ireland acceded to the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) on 23 December 1985. Ireland signed and ratified the Optional Protocol to CEDAW on 7 September 2000. As a State Party to the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, Ireland is committed to implementing the provisions of the Convention and ensuring the elimination of gender based discrimination. India is also a party to CEDAW and ratified it on 25 June 1993.