We are please to see that today ILGA World has published a new report on the damaging impact of so-called "conversion therapies”, Curbing deception - A world survey of legal restrictions of so-called ‘conversion therapies’ .
As well as exploring possibilities for legal reform the report looks at other methods to curb this harmful practice.
The report found that:
3 UN member States (Brazil, Ecuador and Malta) have enacted nationwide laws to restrict so-called ‘conversion therapies’
in other 3 UN member States, subnational jurisdictions have enacted bans or restrictions on these practices: Canada (3 provinces and several cities), Spain (5 regions) and the United States of America (19 states, Washington DC, Puerto Rico and numerous cities and counties)
in 5 UN member States (Argentina, Uruguay, Fiji, Nauru and Samoa), mental health laws prohibit diagnosing patients exclusively on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity: these laws act as indirect bans
10 countries have introduced bills in national legislative bodies to restrict these practices. In several other countries - including Australia, Canada, Mexico, and the United States - sub-national jurisdictions continue to discuss these bills
At least 6 court cases have been litigated in 3 different countries with positive results
The World Health Organization (WHO), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Medical Association and the World Psychiatric Association—as well as more than 60 health professional associations spread across more than 20 countries - have repudiated efforts to change a person’s gender identity, gender expression or sexual orientation.
We expect that our upcoming inquiry will also cover the link between religion, conversation therapy, and LGBT+ equality.
You can read the report here.