Purpose of the Report
The report examines new and evolving forms of sex-based violence against women and girls that remain underrecognized. It reaffirms the biological reality of sex as central to understanding female oppression and urges States to protect women’s sex-based rights, especially amid rising gender identity ideologies.
Key Issues Identified
- Erasure of Sex in Law and Policy
- Women are being redefined based on gender identity, undermining sex-based protections.
- Neutral language like “people who menstruate” replaces terms like “women”, erasing their legal identity.
- Women are being redefined based on gender identity, undermining sex-based protections.
- Loss of Sex-Based Data
- The shift toward gender identity in data collection undermines the ability to track violence against women and develop targeted policies.
- Healthcare outcomes for women are especially impacted by this data gap.
- The shift toward gender identity in data collection undermines the ability to track violence against women and develop targeted policies.
- Reinforcement of Sexist Stereotypes
- Gender identity frameworks often rely on regressive stereotypes (e.g., “feminine dress” = woman).
- This harms girls, especially those with autism or gender dysphoria, by pushing them toward irreversible medical interventions.
- Gender identity frameworks often rely on regressive stereotypes (e.g., “feminine dress” = woman).
- Suppression of Women’s Free Speech
- Women face intimidation, job loss, online abuse, and even violence for speaking out on biological sex and women’s rights.
- Gender-critical feminists are often mislabelled as hateful or transphobic.
- Women face intimidation, job loss, online abuse, and even violence for speaking out on biological sex and women’s rights.
- Denial of Single-Sex Spaces
- Prisons, shelters, hospitals, and other institutions are increasingly removing female-only spaces, putting women at risk.
- Women in prisons are being forced to share spaces with violent male offenders who self-identify as women.
- Prisons, shelters, hospitals, and other institutions are increasingly removing female-only spaces, putting women at risk.
- Emerging Forms of Violence
- Consequential suicide (linked to abuse by male partners)
- “Femi-genocide” (e.g., systemic violence against Palestinian and Afghan women)
- Sex-selective abortion and infanticide (especially in parts of Asia)
- Digital sexual violence (deepfakes, revenge porn, and AI-generated abuse targeting girls and women)
- Consequential suicide (linked to abuse by male partners)
International Legal Context
- Reaffirms obligations under:
- CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)
- CRC (Convention on the Rights of the Child)
- ICCPR and other international human rights treaties
- CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women)
- Emphasizes that gender identity should not override the legal category of sex for women’s protection.
Key Recommendations
- Protect Sex-Based Rights
- Use terms like “woman” and “girl” strictly for biological females in law.
- Reinstate single-sex spaces and services where necessary.
- Use terms like “woman” and “girl” strictly for biological females in law.
- Reject Irreversible Medical Transition for Minors
- Ban puberty blockers and surgeries for children.
- Offer comprehensive assessments and alternative support.
- Ban puberty blockers and surgeries for children.
- Combat Sexist Stereotypes
- Regulate pornography and media.
- Launch education campaigns promoting respectful masculinity.
- Regulate pornography and media.
- Criminalize Femicide and Collect Sex-Based Data
- Establish observatories to track femicide.
- Ensure data on violence is disaggregated by biological sex.
- Establish observatories to track femicide.
- Recognize Reproductive Violence as Genocidal
- Hold states accountable where reproductive abuse is used to control or erase populations (e.g., Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan).
- Hold states accountable where reproductive abuse is used to control or erase populations (e.g., Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan).
Conclusion
The Special Rapporteur calls for urgent action to re-centre biological sex in law and policy, defend free expression for women, and confront new forms of violence arising from both digital abuse and identity-based policies that erase female realities.
READ THE REPORT HERE:
LISTEN HERE:
“You can not protect what you can not define” Reem Alsalem