TGEU Applauds EU Parliament for Trans Inclusive Report on Mental Health

TGEU applauds EU Parliament for trans inclusive report on mental health

Transgender Europe (TGEU) welcomes the European Parliament’s adoption of the Becerra Report¹ which expresses the need for an ambitious new gender sensitive strategy on mental health, promoting a holistic psychosocial all-of-society approach.

In particular, it is necessary that the high suicide and depression rate of trans people is addressed by the Member States in mental health policies. TGEU also highlights that the report urges Member States to prevent, ban, and prosecute forced sterilisation – which affects transgender and intersex people. Being a requirement for gender recognition in 13 member states.

Julia Ehrt, Executive Director at TGEU comments,

“This report is important for transgender people, whose needs should be addressed when developing policies on mental health. We call on Member States to take heed of the calls within the report and to work to end forced sterilisation across the European Union.”

Mari-Liis Sepper, Policy Officer at TGEU adds,

“The intersectional approach taken in the drafting of this report is a breath of fresh air. It is encouraging to see the inclusion of trans and intersex people’s concerns throughout the report. We hope that it can translate into clear practices to ensure access to quality mental health care for all.”

Among other things, the Becerra Report calls on Member States to encourage research on the long-term effects of products used in hormone replacement therapy, it encourages Member States to prevent, ban, and prosecute genital mutilation and to offer support to those victims of genital mutilation.

Finally, it adopts an intersectional approach throughout, in particular considering the inclusion of trans people’s concerns, and addressing the disparity in access to mental health and the need to allocate resources to ensure access to healthcare for all women.

1. Report on promoting gender equality in mental health and clinical research (2016/2096(INI)), Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality.
   Rapporteur: Beatriz Becerra Basterrechea. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/sides/getDoc.do?type=REPORT&mode=XML&reference=A8-2016-0380&language=EN ↩︎