Members of the group No Pride in Prison.

Transgender activists will go on hunger strike unless Department of Corrections moves a trans woman from Rimutaka Prison to a women's facility.

It comes after reports the prisoner, "a strong woman", has had to front up to threats in the men's prison.

About 10 members of No Pride in Prisons will launch the hunger strike on Karangahape Rd in Auckland on Thursday, spokeswoman Jennifer Shields said.

Shields said Rimutaka prisoner Jade Follett requested the move about two months ago but has not heard back from Corrections.

"Tomorrow morning if we haven't heard that Jade's been transferred, we're going to start a hunger strike and we're going to keep striking till we've heard she's been transferred safely."

Shields said there was symbolism behind the hunger strike, as a lot of Follett's situation was about "bodily autonomy".

"And I think that relates to us as a group of 10 as well, giving up a piece of autonomy till she gets hers back."

The strikers, however, would drink water or tea, eat barley sugars or protein shakes, she said.

Prison director Chris Burns said Corrections received a request this weekend from a transgender prisoner to be moved to a prison that accommodates prisoners of their identified gender.

"No other transfer requests of this nature have been made this year."

Burns said Corrections would treat the request "with urgency".

However Shields said the group had a letter from Follett dated July 31 saying she lodged the request about six weeks earlier but had not heard back.

"What we reckon happened was that something got lost in bureaucracy and this really needs to be addressed."

Shields said Follett was a strong woman but had been threatened several times in the prison.

"But people have backed down once she stood up for herself."

The group first made contact with Follett's lawyer about a month ago after following her case in media, Shields said.

She said people who thought Follett should be in a men's prison did not understand her situation.

"These women are super high risk of sexual assault, it's not a safe place for them to be in."

Follett was sentenced to 21 months on in prison on July 4 on a charge of injuring with intent, after she stabbed a man in his 40s.

Corrections would not reveal whether the transfer would be approved, and if so, how long it would take to transfer Follett.

Shields said the safety of group members on the strike was a concern, but there were at least three members who would strike "as long as we need to".

Transfer rules

On entering the prison system prisoners can apply to the chief executive of Corrections for placement in a prison where they identify with the gender of the prisoners managed in that prison.

A range of factors will be taken into account when the CE considers this application. Every application for placement will be considered on its own merits