Intersex Legal Mapping Report
There is a striking dearth of legal protection of intersexan umbrella term for the spectrum of variations of sex characteristics that naturally occur within the human species. Intersex people are born with 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 are born with such traits; yet, 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. More people’s right to bodily integrity and autonomy in the world.
To document that, ILGA World has released its Intersex Legal Mapping Report, a groundbreaking global survey on legal protections for people born with variations in sex characteristicsa term that refers to physical features relating to sex - including genitalia and other sexual and reproductive anatomy, chromosomes, hormones, and secondary physical features emerging from puberty. More.
The publication features an overview of how each of the 193 UN member States is faring regarding the protection of the human rights of intersex people, references to over 160 national legal acts from the 34 countries in which legal developments have taken place, and an analysis of how intersex issues have been addressed in international human rights lawa legal system laying down obligations which States are bound to respect. By becoming parties to international treaties, States assume obligations and duties under international law to respect, protect and fulfil human rights – including by putting into place domestic measures and legislation. Where domestic legal proceedings fail to address human rights abuses, mechanisms and procedures for individual complaints or communications are available at the regional and international levels to help ensure that international human rights standards are respected. More.
In addition, it also features interviews with intersex activists, providing unique insights into their advocacy work.
The 2023 Intersex Legal Mapping Report is released under an Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) license.
Suggested citation: ILGA World: Eliana Rubashkyn and Ilia Savelev, Intersex Legal Mapping Report: Global Survey on Legal Protections for People Born with Variations in Sexrefers to the classification of a person as male, female, or other - usually made at birth, written on a birth certificate, and usually based on the appearance of their external anatomy. A person’s sex, however, is actually a combination of bodily characteristics, including chromosomes, hormones, internal and external reproductive organs, and secondary sex characteristics. More Characteristics (Geneva: ILGA World, December 2023).