Intersex human rights: one year after historic UN resolution, civil society keeps pushing forward
Summary:
This is a joint press release by ILGA World, Intersex Asia, and Outright International
Geneva, 17 April 2025 — Following a historic resolution at the United Nations, civil society worldwide is organising towards meaningful recognition and protection of the human rights of intersex people.
Today, seven organisations published a new report summarising ten years of advocacy on the issue in United Nations spaces and explaining what steps lie ahead.
Adopted one year ago, resolution 55/14 at the UN Human Rights Council marked the first moment in which an internationally agreed document defined what is meant by the term “intersex”. It also recognised medically unnecessary or deferrable interventions on persons with innate variations in sex characteristics as a harmful practice.
While not legally binding, similar documents build on the findings of expert-led mechanisms and advance international human rights standards. Civil society worldwide welcomed the resolution as a “milestone in how international bodies are looking at the rights of intersex persons”.
With the publication released today, organisations that were actively advocating the resolution offer practical recommendations and examples on how this United Nations document can inform the work of activists both at the national level and in global fora.
These recommendations are especially relevant as the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights is preparing the first-ever official United Nations publication to address the human rights situation of persons with innate variations in sex characteristics.
Civil society organisations worldwide argue that this landmark United Nations report will raise awareness of intersex people’s lives in a way that States can no longer ignore, and will have to act upon.
- Intersex people have innate variations of sex characteristics (such as genitals, reproductive organs, hormonal and chromosomal patterns) that are more diverse than stereotypical definitions of male or female bodies. Up to 1.7% of the global population is born with such traits, and the fact that someone is intersex can become apparent at different times in their life. Because their bodies are seen as different, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subject to harmful practices – including in medical settings – and discriminated against
- The report Intersex Human Rights: A report on the Human Rights Council Resolution 55/14 – Combating discrimination, violence and harmful practices against intersex persons is published by ILGA World, InterAction – for Health and Human Rights, Intersex Asia, Intersexo Brasil, Intersex Nigeria, OII Europe, and Outright International
