Report of the Conference 5. Summary of proceedings – Day 2 SESSION 6: THEMATIC WORKSTATION SESSIONS After recapping the discussions of the first day of the conference, day 2 began with thematic workstation sessions. The sessions were designed to brainstorm and discuss (i) gaps in the Yogyakarta Principles in relation to the workstation topic; and (ii) the roles of specific actors in implementing the Yogyakarta Principles and evolving international human rights standards. The eight thematic groups addressed: • Workstation 1: Intersex people/sex characteristics • Workstation 2: Gender identity and expression • Workstation 3: Faith, culture and family • Workstation 4: Violence and extremism • Workstation 5: Legal protection • Workstation 6: Legal oppression • Workstation 7: Engagement with international human rights mechanisms • Workstation 8: Sustainable development goals Summary of issues (gaps, and roles of specific actors) identified under each theme are presented below. Workstation 1: Intersex people/sex characteristics Facilitator Morgan Carpenter, OII Rapporteur Laura Sweeney, NHRI Australia Question 1: Gaps in the Yogyakarta Principles in relation to intersex Gaps in knowledge and definition • There are gaps in the recognition and definition of sex characteristics – the conference and the APF manual9 has already implied the existence of these gaps, which are not adequately recognised in the Yogyakarta Principles • The word ‘intersex’ appears only once in the Principles (in the preamble), although some principles may be applied in the case of intersex • The universality of sex characteristics and bodily diversity are distinct from the specific experiences of people with intersex variations • The issue of legal language and approach to categorising, conflation and confusion of gender identity and sex characteristics – in which proof is often based on ‘biological characteristics’ • By not talking about the sex characteristics as part of the broader SOGIESC conversation, there is insignificant focus on variations in sex characteristics (note the Yogyakarta Principles commentaries on medical intervention – P18) 9 APF Manual Promoting and Protecting Human Rights: Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics, available at: www. asiapacificforum.net/resources/manual-sogi-and-sex-charactersitics/. 23