The Norwegian Ministry of Health’s Expert Committee on legal gender recognition presented its conclusions and recommendations in Oslo today. The report proposes legislation based on self determination and improvements in trans-related health care service provision.
The suggested process for legal gender recognition will be straight forward. The expert group recommends that a personal declaration to the national registry authorities should be sufficient. Guardians should be granted the right to submit a declaration of change of legal gender for a minor upon approval from the County Governor.
The report also includes recommendations on how to address deficiencies and challenges in the health services that are presently offered to trans people. Trans-related health service should be made accessible for more trans people; skills, attitude and capacity of health care providers should be improved and trans aspects be better mainstreamed into general care provision.The suggestions for legal gender recognition are over-time and highly welcomed. They have the potential to bring Norway from lagging behind to be in the forefront, thus enabling better living conditions for trans persons.” comments Stein Wolff Frydenlund, TGEU Steering Committee member:
“However, ambitions on health care provisions need to be stepped up. The health care needs are very diverse in the trans community and particularly migrant and refugee trans people’s needs should not be overlooked. This must be done in close cooperation with the Norwegian trans and LGBT organisations.”
Last week Malta adopted a law that is widely hailed as the best in the world. It bases gender recognition for trans and intersex people on self-determination and introduces comprehensive non-discrimination provisions.
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Download the report of the Norwegian Expert Committee (in Norwegian, English Summary on page 173)
Download this statement.
Learn more about TGEU’s work on legal gender recognition:
Transgender Europe is a European human rights NGO working for the human rights and equality of all trans people. More Information: www.tgeu.org
Transgender or Trans is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity or expression differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.
TGEU Senior Policy Officer Richard Köhler is available for interviews and questions and can be reached atRichard@tgeu.org and +49 (0)177 65 31 518.