

Of necessity, this map generalises. In South Africa, for example, whites of British extraction (but not Afrikaners) circumcised "medically" until recently, Xhosa circumcise tribally and Zulus had stopped circumcising but have recently resumed. Even in Israel (barely visible even on the larger map), surprisingly many parents leave their sons intact.

Iceland In January 2018, Silja Dögg Gunnarsdóttir of the Progressive Party, which is in the government coalition, presented a Bill to allow the genital cutting of boys only where it is necessary to protect their health. It was strongly opposed by Muslim and Jewish organisations. Germany On June 25, 2012, the District Court of Cologne ruled that circumcision of boys is a bodily injury, and doctors doing it could be punished. On July 19, 2012, the Bundestag resolved to pass a law allowing religious infant male genital cutting.

(Norway On June 13, 2012, the Centre Party justice policy spokeswoman Jenny Klinge said the practice of ritually circumcising infant boys is outdated, dangerous, and should be banned.)

The Netherlands Circumsision is not yet legally questioned, but on April 26, 2010, the KNMG (Royal Dutch Medical Association) issued a policy urging its members not to perform it. South Africa On June 19, 2006 the South African President assented to the Children's Act, which outlaws male genital cutting except for religious and medical purposes, or with the consent of a child over 16. (This has not seriously impeded non-therapeutic circumcision.) Sweden On June 1, 2001, the Swedish Parliament passed a law restricting circumcision to licenced practitioners, except for religious circumcision in the first two months of life. The law comes into effect on October 1 and will be reviewed in four years.

Finland Late in 1999, the Juridic Ombudsman of the Finnish Parliament, Riitta-Leena Paunio, noted that infant circumcision is not recommended without a medical reason and recommended that children should be consulted and should give their permission. She said the Finnish Parliament should weigh up the parents' religious rights over their children against the obligation of society to protect its children from ritualistic operations without immediate benefit to them. This decision is believed to be the first of its kind in any country. As an immediate result, the consent of both parents is now required.

