Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics Programme

 

Gender Identity, Gender Expression
and Sex Characteristics Programme

ILGA World has an ongoing commitment to advancing the human rights of all people - regardless also of their gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics.

Since 2015, ILGA World has had a dedicated programme to advance the rights of trans people by strengthening work at the global and regional levels.

We have been part of milestone achievements, such as the removal of pathologising trans categories in the International Classification of Diseases in 2018, the creation and renewal of the first UN Independent Expert on SOGI. We have also co-founded the UN Trans Advocacy Week, in which a coalition of trans-led organisations and programmes has brought trans human rights defenders to Geneva annually since 2017.

In 2020, this work expanded into the new Gender Identity, Gender Expression, and Sex Characteristics (GIESC) programme, created out of our ever-growing engagement with intersex communities, our ongoing commitment to trans people’s rights and the recognition of the many common root causes of the challenges that these communities face.

The programme continues and expands our work on gender identity and expression and adds new coverage specifically on sex characteristics, working in strategic allyship with our member organisations, utilising our networks in Geneva and New York at the United Nations, and continuing to work closely with UN and international organisations.

Addressing human rights violations against trans and intersex persons roots in the assessment that violence, discrimination, and prejudice against persons of diverse SOGIESC have a common cause: the cis-endosex-heteronormative, ableist, cultural, medical, and social model in which gender and sex are perceived as binary, mutually exclusive, medically normative, or a consequence of a person’s particular body.

Rooted in feminist analysis, the programme seeks to expand ILGA World’s work in the field, build bridges, and strengthen allyship with feminist and women’s movements.

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The Gender Identity, Gender Expression and Sex Characteristics programme roots in the assessment that violence, discrimination and prejudice of persons of diverse SOGIESC has a common cause: the cis-endosex-heteronormative ableist cultural, medical social model in which gender and sex are perceived as binary, mutually exclusive, medically normative or a consequence of a person’s particular body.

The aims of the programme are to

  • advocate for meaningful inclusion of issues of gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics, in UN processes, international human rights norms and other global fora and decision makers
  • raise visibility, awareness and allyship within the ILGA family and the wider LGBTI movement on issues pertaining to gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics
  • work towards the true depathologisation of trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex persons at all levels
  • support ILGA World’s research to holistically cover GIESC issues in the organisation’s research portfolio, ensuring trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex communities help conceptualise and deliver such research
  • empower trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex communities, organisations and people in all their diversities to advocate for their rights with a particular focus on international mechanisms
  • support community organising, led by trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex people globally
  • raise visibility and awareness on (SO)GIESC issues within intersectional feminist movement(s)
  • provide an intersectional feminist and queer analysis on how gender backlash affects (SO)GIESC rights and can be countered
  • uphold the fundamental human rights of bodily autonomy, bodily integrity and self-determination of trans, non-binary, gender-diverse and intersex people.