last updated May 17, 2022
Learn more about our work, our goals, who intersex people are and what human rights violations they face in our informational flyer. You can download it in the following languages:
WHAT ARE OII EUROPE’S GOALS?
OII Europe works on the grounds of the Malta Declaration, formulated at the 3rd International Intersex Forum 2013 for
- full implementation of human rights, bodily integrity & self-determination for intersex people
- legal prohibition of non-consensual medical & psychological treatment; medical practitioners or other professionals should not conduct any treatment to the purpose of modifying sex characteristics which can be deferred until the person to be treated can provide informed consent
- promotion of self-awareness, visibility and recognition of intersex people
- full protection against discrimination & the adoption of “sex characteristics” as a protective ground
- education of society on intersex issues from a human rights perspective
WHO ARE INTERSEX PEOPLE?
Intersex is an umbrella term. Intersex individuals are born with sex characteristics that are either female and male at the same time or not quite female or male or neither female or male. Our sex characteristics and bodies are healthy variations of the human sexes.
Variations of sex characteristics might not be visible at birth. Intersex bodies can present themselves as intersex prenatal, at birth, during childhood, in puberty or in adulthood. A person may realize being intersex at a very early age or later on in life.
WHAT HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES DO INTERSEX PEOPLE FACE?
- pathologisation of their bodies
- medical interventions without personal, prior, persistent & fully informed consent
- violation of their physical integrity
- psychological trauma
- invisibilisation
- stigma
- structural & verbal discrimination
- harrassment
- lack of access to relevant or / and needed medication
- lack of legal recognition