Slovakia’s proposed law against sex change violates human rights and should be nullified

Slovak Parliament proposes to remove the right of legal gender recognition

The National Assembly of the Slovak Republic will soon vote on a bill that could negate the right to legal gender recognition of transgender individuals. The Birth Number Act or Bill No. 301/1995, which regulates the personal 10-digit identifiers given to all, includes information about the date of birth, and numbers for two genders – ‘5’ indicates female and ‘0’ stands for male. If passed, the change in the legislation would force transgender individuals to prove they have the “correct” set of chromosomes for legal gender affirmation. This could be problematic as persons with a gender identity different from their birth gender usually have a different set of chromosomes from the gender identity they identify with; thereby making legal gender recognition impossible for them.

On Thursday, May 17, the Slovak Parliament is due to vote on the proposed law that could soon come into effect and could adversely change the human rights landscape in the country. This would mean that Slovakia would join the list of countries where transgender rights are curtailed. The bill may be postponed after protests from LGBT rights activists. Over the weekend, these activists demonstrated against the proposed legislation in Bratislava, the capital city of Slovakia.

Director of Amnesty International Slovakia, Rado Sloboda, has called on members of the Slovakian Parliament to reject the proposed bill that would strip the rights of transgender people and contravene international human rights law. “This law will gravely impact the rights of transgender people, forcing them to reveal their gender assigned at birth in everyday circumstances, such as signing for parcels”, said Sloboda. He also raised concerns that the legislation, if passed, could lead to bullying, discrimination, or violence, and impact the right to privacy of Slovakia’s transgender community.

This is not the first time that Slovakia is attempting to curtail the rights of its transgender community. In 2016, Slovakia imposed a compulsory sterilisation law that disenfranchised the rights of transgender individuals and made it almost impossible to change their legal gender. The law ruled that anyone who seeks legal gender recognition in Slovakia would have had to undergo sterilisation treatment. However, in 2019, the Slovak parliament repealed this law as it had contravened international human rights standards.

As the world marks the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, the proposed law highlights the other ways in which Slovakia’s transgender community is vulnerable to discrimination and legal impediments. The Slovakian authorities must recognize the rights of the transgender community. Furthermore, Slovakia must ensure that it upholds its obligations under international human rights laws, which expressly safeguard the rights of all persons regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

The Slovak parliament must abandon this continued attempt to strip transgender individuals of their rights. The passage of the law would be a setback for the rights of the transgender community, thereby setting a wrong precedence for other countries in Europe currently considering legislation that could negatively impact the transgender community.

**Editorial and Advice**

It is time for the Slovakian authorities to recognize that the rights of the transgender community are human rights and an integral part of the country’s obligations under international human rights law. It is unacceptable to consider the removal of the right to legal gender recognition. It is imperative that the country’s leaders recognize that all people have a right to dignity, privacy, and respect irrespective of their gender identity.

Slovakia must urgently address the issues faced by the country’s transgender community and ensure the protection of their rights. Furthermore, the country must take urgent steps to protect the transgender community against discrimination, harassment, and violence. The Slovakian government must act without delay to ensure that the passage of the Bill No. 301/1995 is abandoned and further legislations that impact the rights of the transgender community are avoided in the future.

In conclusion, Slovakia has a chance to stand at the forefront of upholding human rights, including the rights of the transgender community. The world is watching, and Slovakia must show leadership by prioritizing and respecting the human rights of all its citizens.

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