Transgender people demanding the right to health

A conversation with Marcela Romero

For me, the right to health means equal rights. Without the right to health, HIV prevention, care and treatment don’t exist, nor does universal health coverage. When health care is not guaranteed as a human right, poverty and social exclusion increase, and lives are lost. It is the most vulnerable people in the Latin American and Caribbean region who are denied this basic and universal right frequently — people like migrants, mobile populations, prisoners and transgender people. We are dying of preventable and curable diseases, like tuberculosis, pneumonia and hepatitis, which are illnesses that contribute to the circle of poverty and exclusion.

Violence, stigma, social exclusion and discrimination negatively influence the exercise of the right to health. They also discourage transgender people and key populations from seeking prevention, treatment, care and support services related to HIV.

The prejudices shown by health professionals and their lack of information are just two examples of obstacles. Also, there are only a few sexual and reproductive health programmes in the region that are addressed to transgender people. It is rare that transgender people have regular access to suitable sexual and reproductive health and HIV services.

We are changing the indicators of international cooperation agencies and government plans so they invest more in health care and human rights for key populations. We are seeking and facilitating more spaces for dialogue so that transgender people are more visible, participate in decision-making and contribute to government public policies. We are also working on reducing stigma and discrimination in society through awareness-raising campaigns with contributions from UNAIDS, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the United Nations Development Programme, as well as other partner organizations.

At the community level, we recently inaugurated the Transgender House, a space where transgender people receive guidance about different issues, including HIV prevention. It is necessary to put an end to genderbased and institutional violence that transgender people suffer from because of having a female gender identity. Through our Documentation Centre for Transgender People from Latin America and the Caribbean, we are monitoring human rights violations against transgender people, and the right to health is one of the main components that we are monitoring.

Finally, there is an urgent need to approve laws and implement policies that facilitate the legal recognition of the gender of transgender people. Gender identity laws recognize transgender people as human beings, as citizens, so they have a right to access public services and be included in government agendas. These laws allow transgender people to access the same benefits and opportunities that any other citizen would have, including access to health services. Without this right, we cannot access HIV prevention, care and treatment.

Yes, we can improve the situation that we are living in, but as transgender people we have to step out of the darkness. Our problems have to be included and made visible in political agendas. We have to work in a cross-cutting manner so that transgender people are recognized and their human rights are guaranteed, including the right to health. I worry that in some countries in the region we are experiencing setbacks and an increase in gender-based violence. Human rights should be our guiding light. Without a rightsbased approach, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will not be able to prosper and be effective.

We are not asking for other rights, we are just asking for the same rights, just like any other citizen. A person who doesn’t have an identity doesn’t exist, and we are a part of society.

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