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Trans rights in Europe. Policy Briefing Lunch 13 Dec 2010. Trans people – who are they?. Trans* Rights in Europe. Trans-specific jurisprudence is centered around Gender Reassignment. Some are more equal than others. strongly medicalized covers few - leaves out many.
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Trans Rights in Europe TGEU www.tgeu.org Trans rights in Europe Policy Briefing Lunch 13 Dec 2010
Trans Rights in Europe TGEU www.tgeu.org Trans people – who are they?
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Trans* Rights in Europe Trans-specific jurisprudence is centered around Gender Reassignment
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Some are more equal than others strongly medicalized covers few - leaves out many
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org The reality for many trans people • 60% feelsociallyexclused(UK, Browne & Lim 2008) • harassmentin public: 79% (Press For Change 2010) • un-employment: > 50% (Transgender EuroStudy (2008) • > 50% getharassedatthejob(AT, Frketic & Baumgartinger 2008; BE, Motmans et al. 2010) • poverty: ~ 60% earnlessthan €12.000 p.a. (UK, Browne & Lim 2008) • 25% gotdeniedaccesstotranshealthcare • 30% suicidalattemptsasadults(Transgender EuroStudy (2008)
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org too few… • regulations and jurisprudence covering too few people and too few issues • too little knowledge • inter-relations with other factors of a person
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org trans demands • Anti-Discriminationlegislationwith a broadcoverageoftrans* people Implementationofthe EU equalitydirectives on the national level (2004/113/ EC Goods & Services Directive & 2006/54/EC Gender Re-castDirective) Sweden’sDiscriminationAct: protectionoftranssexualsunder ‚gender‘ and on groundsofTransgender identityorexpression • Trans*inclusivehatecrimelegislation • ScottishHate Crime Bill: widedefinitionoftrans* people • UK Hate Crime legislation: „perceived“ genderreassignment
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org trans demands • quick, transparent and accesable procedures for name change & legal gender recognition • Access to trans related health care (for those who want it) • Research on issues faced by trans-people (WITH trans*involvement) • Awareness raising & increased visibility of trans* people PLUS trans*mainstreaming
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Tools at the EU-level • Goods and Services Directive (2004/113/EC) • Gender ReCast Directive (2006/54/EC) • Gender Equality Strategy 2010-2015
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Goods and Services Directive (2004/113/EC) • „access to and supply of goods and services“ • 2606th meeting of the Council of the European Union, the Joint Council and Commission: gender reassignment • Reports from Member States are currently under review by the European Commission
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Gender ReCast Directive (2006/54/EC) • Recital 3 covers trans people (Gender Reassigment) • Monitoring: Member States report until 15 Feb 2011 to the European Commission • Re-opened upon horizontal directive • Checklist and Guideline:
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org EU Gender Equality Strategy 2010-2015 - wide usage of gender and gender identity - promises to I address gender stereotypes, II look into effective legal protection III tackling multiple discrimination - Definition „genderidentity“
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Strategy 2010-2015 Definition: Gender identity A person’s sense of being male or female, resulting from a combination of genetic and environmental influences and a person’s concept of being male and masculine or female and feminine, or ambivalent.
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Tools at the Council of Europe • Issue Paper „Human Rights and Gender Identity“ 12 recommendations • Council of Ministers Recommendation 2010(5) ILGA-Europe monitoring toolkit • European Social Charter
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Issue Paper „Human Rights & Gender Identity“ • ‚trans rights for dummies‘ • 12 concrete recommendations to member states • High moral grounds • Available in English, Russian, French, German, Spanish Polish (2011)
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Council of Ministers Recommendation 2010(5) - Recommendstomemberstates: Critical reviewofpre-conditionsfor Legal Gender Recognition, such as: compulsorysterilisation, medicaltreatment, real-lifetestetc Ensuringthefull legal recognition in all areasoflifebyenablingchangeofofficialdocumentsin a quick, transparent andaccesiblewaybystateand non-stateactors Ensurerighttomarryupon Gender Reassignmentand Legal Gender Recognition • regularlyreviewed (in threeyears) • ILGA-Europe monitoringtool
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org European Social Charter • Binding on CoE member states • among others: right to best attainable health status, access to housing, work free from discrimination etc. and their application for trans-people
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org • Make existing legislation work for trans* people • Coverage of the wider trans population • Use existing tools of e.g. ILGA-Europe, TGEU and others • Tackle lack of awareness • Create synergies
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org What you can do? • reviewhowgenderidentity (trans*) areinterlinkedtoothersocialissuesanddiscriminationgrounds, • preparethehouse: aretrans*people in yourorganisation? usetrans*inclusivelanguageandimages, check organisational documents, registrationformsetc • workwithtransorganisations • mainstreamtrans in yourlobbyingforequality
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Becausetrueequalityneedsequalityfor all andspecificsolutionsforspecificquestions
Trans Rights in Europe – Next Steps Transgender Europe – TGEU www.tgeu.org Thank you for your attention! More information on www.tgeu.org or follow us on facebook: www.facebook.com/TransRightsEurope