Study on the rights and experiences of intersex persons completed

As part of the implementation of the National Action Plan on Fundamental and Human Rights, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs commissioned a qualitative study on the rights and experiences of intersex persons. The purpose of the study was to find out how the decisions made when an intersex child is born and the treatments the child receives in childhood and adolescence have affected their lives.

The study examines the experiences of intersex persons and the parents of intersex children in the Finnish healthcare system and society. In addition, the study also surveys what kind of information and support the parents of intersex children were offered and what kind of information and support they feel is needed. The report presents good practices for taking intersex children into consideration in early childhood education and care, schools, leisure activities and healthcare.

The qualitative study is based on the interviews and web survey responses of 12 intersex persons and six parents of intersex children. The data and the participants do not form a quantitatively representative sample, but instead, the responses are expert descriptions of the experiences and questions present in intersex people's everyday lives.

Intersex people are born with sex characteristics that do not fit the typical definitions for male or female. Being intersex is a naturally occurring variation in humans. Estimates of the share of intersex persons in the population vary from 0.02% to 1.7%.

Inquiries:
Tikli Oikarinen, author of the study, independent expert, tel. +358 50 574 2086,
Yrsa Nyman, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Justice, tel. +358 2951 150 293, [email protected]
Janina Hasenson, Senior Ministerial Adviser, Ministry for Foreign Affairs, tel. +358 295 351 902, [email protected]