The transgender rights deficit Thomas Hammarberg Comment is free guardian.co.uk

The transgender rights deficit | Thomas Hammarberg | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk 9/8/09 1:47 PMThe transgender rights deficitAcross Europe rights lag behind those of othergroups. We're working to change thatThomas Hammarbergguardian.co.uk, Saturday 5 September 2009 09.00 BST larger | smallerThe human rights situation of transgender persons has long been ignored andneglected, although the problems they face are serious and often specific to this groupalone. Transgender people experience a high degree of discrimination, intolerance andoutright violence. Their basic human rights are often violated, including the right tolife, the right to physical integrity and the right to health.During my official visits to the 47 member States of the Council of Europe, I have beenstruck by the lack of knowledge about the human rights issues at stake for transgenderpersons, even among political decision-makers.In a number of countries, the problem starts at the level of official recognition.Transgender people who no longer identify with their birth gender – as highlighted inlast night's Channel 4 documentary, The Boy Who Was Born a Girl – and who seekchanges to their birth certificates, passports and other documents, often encounterdifficulties. This in turn leads to a number of very concrete problems in daily life whenshowing one's ID – in the bank or the post office, when using a credit card, or crossingborders.Regrettably, in a large part of Europe official ...