Today, 2nd October, the Polish President Andrzej Duda vetoed the law on Gender Accordance, which had been previously approved by the Polish Parliament (Sejm). The act will now return to the Sejm, where the veto can only be rejected with 3/5 of votes.
TGEU urges the Sejm to respect all trans people in Poland, and to the exercise their power in refuting the President’s veto. Executive Director of TGEU, Julia Ehrt said “It is appalling that President Duda has refused to listen to the approval of the Sejm, and has single-handedly ignored the needs and human rights of trans people in Poland.”
The Gender Accordance Law is of major importance for the daily life of trans people in Poland, and it could establish transparent and accessible gender recognition procedures. Further recognising the existence of trans persons in Poland and granting them their human rights.
ENDS
Timeline:
- On the 2nd October 2015, Polish President Andrzej Duda, vetoed the Gender Accordance Act. http://www.tvn24.pl/pierwsze-weto-prezydenta-andrzeja-dudy,582369,s.html
- On the 25th September 2015, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Nils Muzineks, called on President Andrzej Duda to sign the law saying that “Trans people in Poland have the right to legal recognition.” https://twitter.com/CommissionerHR/status/647402850402889728
- On the 18th September 2015, TGEU sent a letter to Polish President, Andrzej Duda, asking him to sign the Gender Accordance Act into law. http://tgeu.org/president-a-duda-sign-the-gender-accordance-act-into-law/
- On the 7th August 2015, the Polish Senate adopted the first gender recognition legislation in the country. http://tgeu.org/polish-parliament-makes-trans-history-trans-fuzja-media-statement/
- On the 23rd July 2015, lower chamber of the Polish Parliament (Sejm), passed the Gender Accordance Act, the country’s first gender recognition legislation in history. http://tgeu.org/transgender-europe-acknowledges-first-polish-gender-recognition-law/