UNHRC adopted first Resolution of its kind for Intersex Rights

Posted 06 Apr 2024

2 min read

Resolution is adopted at the 55^th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC).

Resolution calls on states:
- To combat discrimination, violence and harmful practices against persons with innate variations in sex characteristics and
- Address their root causes as well as help intersex people ‘realize the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health’.

Intersex people are born with sex characteristics (such as sexual anatomy, reproductive organs, hormonal patterns and/or chromosomal patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies.
- They may have any gender identity or sexual orientation.
- Experts estimate that up to 1.7 % of the population are born with intersex traits.
- Intersex people are different from transgenders.
  - Transgenders are born with a body that has unambiguous sexual characteristics (either male or female) but they don’t match the person's gender identity.

Key issues with Intersex People: They are subjected to human rights violations because of their physical characteristics.
- Society has created harmful stereotypes and pathologization (treating intersex persons as necessarily ill or disordered) towards them.
- They face issues like Infanticide, forced and coercive medical interventions, discrimination in different sphere, legal recognition, etc.

Genesis: Established in 2006 by the General Assembly. UNHRC replaced the United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
About: It is the main intergovernmental body within the United Nations for Strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights.
Key Mandate: Reviews the human rights records of all UN Member States via the Universal Periodic Review, Authorizes commissions of inquiry and fact-finding missions on war crimes and crimes against humanity etc.
Membership: Made of 47 Member States

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