
Like Sophia (a pseudonym),
For this reason, 2018 report. This includes data on gender and sex attributes gathered and displayed as part of ID systems.
, which must include separate considerations for the need to gather and the need to exhibit” in aWhen they are trustworthy and accessible, ID systems can be an important tool for sustainable development by providing legal identity for all and acting as enablers to realize other rights and improve service delivery. Under its ID4D Initiative, the World Bank has played a key role in helping countries build ID systems that promote inclusion and protect people’s data and rights. This includes alignment with the Principles on Identification, which requires countries to ensure universal access and non-discrimination in ID system policy and use — including for SOGI groups.
and tracking gender gaps. However, or stored on ID credentials that people use to prove who they are.
For example, consultations conducted by the World Bank with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) organizations working in countries in East, West, and Central Africa have indicated that:
- For people identifying as transgender, the gender or sex “marker” or attribute on official ID credentials (which in most countries reflects the sex assigned at birth) is a perpetual trigger for discrimination.
- Transgender people are often subjected to violence by state agents and others upon realizing that the gender or sex marker on an ID does not “match” the person’s gender identity and expression.
In light of these findings and consultations, the World Bank developed a new practitioner’s note on ID Systems and SOGI Inclusive Design to address key questions and highlight emerging good practices, including:
- If appropriate given prevailing norms about gender identity, flexibility beyond the binary (M/F) gender classification can promote greater recognition of gender minorities.
Ultimately, as different countries have different SOGI contexts — what works in one country may not be appropriate in another. Therefore,
after close consultation with local civil society organizations representing sexual and gender minorities.
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