Norway Passes Circumcision Law

The Norwegian Parliament has passed legislation protecting circumcision as a legal right.

The bill says the purpose of the legal move is “ensure that the ritual circumcision of boys conducted in a safe manner, and to ensure that an offer of ritual circumcision is available,” in cases where the procedure “is religiously justified.”

In addition, the law specifies that circumcisions must be performed by a licensed physician, but provides for ritual circumcision to be performed by others “if the physician is present and is responsible for the procedure.”

In March, Norway’s nurses union called on the government to ban non-medical circumcision of boys under 15. Astrid Grydeland Ersvik, a representative for the union, told the Aftenposten tabloid at the time that “Jews are a small group in Norway, they have been allowed to influence the debate on this issue.”

Ersvik also compared male circumcision to female genital mutilation, which is banned in Norway.

“If we get a law that allows this in boys while it is illegal in girls, then this is discriminatory,” she said.