On December 16, 2021, at the Tourist Best Western Hotel, a round table conference was held for implementation of the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (MKD-11) on national level, organized by ERA – LGBTI Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey, Coalition MARGINS and TransFormA.
At the round table, which was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Health, the World Health Organization and the UN in North Macedonia, it was discussed about the preparation and implementation of protocols arising from MKD-11, as well as the involvement of stakeholders to support and facilitate the process led by the Ministry of Health in aligning the domestic legal framework with international obligations regarding the depathologisation of transgender identities by removing “gender identity disorder” from the chapter on mental disorder.
Within the round table, STAR- The First Sex Workers Collective in the Balkans has presented its research report: “Compatibility Assessment of the Existing Healthcare and Prevention Services with the Needs of Transgender People in North Macedonia“, in collaboration with TransFormA – Initiative for Protection and Promotion of Transgender People’s Rights in the Republic of North Macedonia. The research provides data and information based on evidence that supports these processes and provides recommendations for aligning and improving health services according to the needs of transgender people. The publication is funded by Eurasian Key Populations Coalition (EKPC) in the framework of “Gender and HIV” grants.
The research report was presented by Nenad Micov, as a representative of STAR-STAR and Predrag Jovanovski as a representative of the transgender community.
STAR-STAR fully supports the national commitment for medical and legal gender recognition and we call on the institutions to continue with the development of the Guidelines for the healthcare of transgender people.