About the Trans Rights Europe Map & Index

The Trans Rights Europe Map & Index reflect the legal situation in areas of equality and non- discrimination on the grounds of gender identity and gender expression in Europe, and highlights the legal provisions in gender identity recognition. It provides an overall reflection of the legal situation in all European countries in a simple format. It does not attempt to reflect the complex social situations trans people might face.

The Trans Rights Europe Map & Index is produced by TGEU since 2013 and is updated yearly in print for the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHoT). The Trans Rights Europe Map & Index is developed in cooperation with ILGA-Europe.

The Trans Rights Europe Map 2017

The Trans Rights Europe Map reflects the requirement for sterilisation in laws and administrative practices in gender recognition legislation in Europe.

20 countries in Europe require sterilisation for legal gender recognition. In April 2017, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that requiring sterilisation for legal gender recognition violates human rights. All Council of Europe Member States must bring their legislation and practice into line with this new legal principle.

TGEU’s Trans Rights Map highlights states in red where sterilisation is either explicitly or implicitly routinely required in gender recognition procedures. “Blue” states have established legal gender recognition procedures and do not require sterilisation, while “brown” states do not offer any reliable procedures.

Trans Rights Europe Index & Map on Mental Health Diagnosis

The Trans Rights Europe Index provides detailed country information in 22 categories, highlighting legal provisions in gender identity recognition and reflects the legal situation in areas of equality, non-discrimination, asylum, hate crime and family law for trans people in Europe. The Trans Rights Europe Map & Index uses a simplified overview and does not attempt to reflect the complex and intersecting situations trans people face.

The Trans Rights Europe Map on Mental Health Diagnosis has been added in 2017 to reflect the current situation; 36 countries in Europe require a mental health diagnosis for legal gender recognition.

A mandatory mental health diagnosis for legal gender recognition violates trans people’s human rights and dignity. It promotes stigma, social exclusion and discrimination. No gender identity is disordered. States should take immediate steps and remove any mandatory mental health treatement and/or diagnosis from legal gender recognition procedures.

Disclaimer:

Data provided is as correct as possible on 21 April 2017, however, we cannot guarantee complete accuracy.

In collaboration with:

The Trans Rights Europe Map & Index has been developed in cooperation with ILGA-Europe.

With thanks to:

This publication has been produced with financial support from the Open Society Foundations, the Dutch Government and the Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme of the European Union. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the author, and can in no way be taken to re­flect the views of the European Commission, the Open Society Foundations or the Dutch Government.