Human Rights Council – 60th Session
Item 3 - Panel discussion on combating discrimination, violence and harmful practices against intersex persons.
Statement delivered Iceland on behalf of the Nordic Baltic states.
15 September 2025
Mr. President,
I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Nordic-Baltic countries.
We remain deeply concerned about the persistent human rights violations faced by persons with innate variations in sex characteristics. Too often, intersex persons are subjected to irreversible and medically unnecessary interventions without their full, free, and informed consent - sometimes in early childhood. These harmful and discriminatory practices must end.
States have a clear obligation to prohibit harmful practices, eliminate discrimination, and ensure accountability for violations against all persons. We echo the recommendations of the OHCHR report, which underscore that all norms and standards for health professionals must integrate a human-rights based approach and uphold the human rights of intersex persons. This means adopting and enforcing laws and policies that protect bodily integrity and autonomy, regulating medical practices, and ensuring access to justice and effective remedies.
Crucially, all measures must be developed in close consultation with intersex persons and their organizations, ensuring that their voices and lived experiences shape the decisions that affect their lives.
We call on all States to uphold their obligations under international human rights law and to work together to guarantee the dignity, autonomy, and equality of intersex persons everywhere.
I thank you.