THE STATE IS NOW FINANCING GENDER REASSIGNMENT PROCEDURES FOR TRANSGENDER PERSONS
29/03/2012
Submitted by
LGBT Forum Progres
Amendments to the national healthcare law entered into force today, which include, among others, sex reassignment therapy, the medical prodecure for confirming a gender for transgender people.
This particular change to the law represents a signficiant example in which Montenegro has demonstrated its committment to human rights and political equality.
Up until now, sex reassignment precudres were not covered by the universal healthcare system. The change in the law ensures that healthcare covers 80% of the three-step gender assignment procedure, which consists of: psychotherapy, hormone therapy, and the medical procedures in gender reassignment including changing genitalia. We expect that the Montenegrin Ministry of Heath will work closely with LGBT Forum Progres to more closely identify the criteria for determining medical justification for this procedure.
Inadequate services for transgender people can have drastic effects such as psychological defects, general disfunctionality in all aspects of society, severe depression, and in some extreme cases, suicide attempts and even death resulting from that.
The increased awareness of the needs LGBT community in Montenegrin society through its transparency and raised presence via the work of the LGBT Forum Progres demonstrates the organization's role as a crucial player in increasing the rights and position of LGBT persons in the country.
The Parliament of the Council of Europe had previously called upon states to ensure proper access to necessary medical and other treatments for transgender people through their national healthcare policies.
Montenegro has made signficant progress when it comes to the rights of transgender people in a relatively short period of time. The level of progress has been so signficant that even countries with a longer democratic tradition would not necessarily match up with their own laws, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the development of human rights laws and standards as well as the sensitization of society towards this issue.
The LGBT Forum Progres would like to especially thank the profesional and ongoing work of: the journalist for the daily news „Vijesti“ Tanja Pavićević, the special investigator for human rights violations Aleksandar Saša Zeković, and the Deputy Ombudsman Marijana Laković. All three have greatly contributed their expertise int heir respective fields in order to raise awareness and knowledge of transgender issues in Montenegro, as well as provided the substantive knowledge that led to this significant change to the national law.
LGBT Forum Progress would also like to thank the Board of health, labor and aging in the Montenegrin Parilament, the office of the Ombudsman, the NGO sector, Montenegrin Prime Minister Dr. Igor Lukšić, and the Montenegrin Minister of Health Dr. Miodrag Radunović.
The final thanks goes out to the political party leaders, whose work actively led to concrete legal changes for transgender people following the campaign on this issue, which was led by LGBT Forum Progres since March 2011.
This particular change to the law represents a signficiant example in which Montenegro has demonstrated its committment to human rights and political equality.
Up until now, sex reassignment precudres were not covered by the universal healthcare system. The change in the law ensures that healthcare covers 80% of the three-step gender assignment procedure, which consists of: psychotherapy, hormone therapy, and the medical procedures in gender reassignment including changing genitalia. We expect that the Montenegrin Ministry of Heath will work closely with LGBT Forum Progres to more closely identify the criteria for determining medical justification for this procedure.
Inadequate services for transgender people can have drastic effects such as psychological defects, general disfunctionality in all aspects of society, severe depression, and in some extreme cases, suicide attempts and even death resulting from that.
The increased awareness of the needs LGBT community in Montenegrin society through its transparency and raised presence via the work of the LGBT Forum Progres demonstrates the organization's role as a crucial player in increasing the rights and position of LGBT persons in the country.
The Parliament of the Council of Europe had previously called upon states to ensure proper access to necessary medical and other treatments for transgender people through their national healthcare policies.
Montenegro has made signficant progress when it comes to the rights of transgender people in a relatively short period of time. The level of progress has been so signficant that even countries with a longer democratic tradition would not necessarily match up with their own laws, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the development of human rights laws and standards as well as the sensitization of society towards this issue.
The LGBT Forum Progres would like to especially thank the profesional and ongoing work of: the journalist for the daily news „Vijesti“ Tanja Pavićević, the special investigator for human rights violations Aleksandar Saša Zeković, and the Deputy Ombudsman Marijana Laković. All three have greatly contributed their expertise int heir respective fields in order to raise awareness and knowledge of transgender issues in Montenegro, as well as provided the substantive knowledge that led to this significant change to the national law.
LGBT Forum Progress would also like to thank the Board of health, labor and aging in the Montenegrin Parilament, the office of the Ombudsman, the NGO sector, Montenegrin Prime Minister Dr. Igor Lukšić, and the Montenegrin Minister of Health Dr. Miodrag Radunović.
The final thanks goes out to the political party leaders, whose work actively led to concrete legal changes for transgender people following the campaign on this issue, which was led by LGBT Forum Progres since March 2011.
