Argentine child allowed sex change on official documents Published duration 27 September 2013

image caption Parents say the child identified herself as a girl as soon as she learned to speak

The authorities in Argentina have approved an official gender change for a six-year-old child.

The case, grounded on the last year's gender identity bill, is the "first in the world", local media reports.

The legislation allows sex and name changes on official documents without the need for court approval.

The child was born a boy in 2007, but her parents said she started identifying herself as a girl as soon as she started to speak.

Gay activist groups have welcomed the decision by the authorities of the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.

"It will be the first case in the world of a girl that gets new documents through an administrative procedure, without having to appeal to Justice," Cesar Cigliutti, director of the Argentine Homosexual Community group, told newspaper Pagina 12.

The approval of the altered document was announced by the Buenos Aires province's chief of staff, Alberto Perez.

It came after months of attempts by the child's parents, who have had their request denied twice.

Initially the parents were told that a child under the age of 14 would not have proper judgement to make such a decision.

But the case took a U-turn following a letter sent by the child's mother to a national childhood protection agency.

The federal body found that denying the child's change of gender would be a violation of her rights, according to the United Nations Convention on Rights of the Child.

Argentina became the first Latin American country to allow same sex marriages in 2010.