Legal Gender Recognition : A Multi-Country Legal and Policy Review in Asia

J. Byrne, C. Russel, A. Quan

As this report demonstrates, transgender people's dignity, equality, privacy and security are severely compromised if their gender identity and expression is not recognized through legal and administrative processes. This report is based on a comprehensive review of existing laws, policies and practice conducted over 18 months in 9 countries in Asia. Additionally, over 220 transgender people from more than 80 civil society groups added their voice and lived realities to the study's findings. This report is premised on the belief that detailed assessments of relevant laws, regulations, court decisions and policies, including the context within which they have developed, provide a robust basis for strategic planning on how to overcome the barriers that transgender people face. This report shows that the vast majority of transgender people in the region do not have access to legal gender recognition, either because no such provisions exist in their country or due to practical limitations in how court judgments or parliamentary decisions have been implemented.