“STOP KILLING US” 2019-2020 REGIONAL REPORT
4. Political background and human rights of transgender people across the region To draw a clear picture of the legislative advances made at the national level, the Regional Secretary Office of REDLACTRANS gathered the accounts of NTRO representatives. This exercise will highlight some key characteristics of the national context to understand the major complications faced by trans people at global level due to the lack of access to human rights, the lack of legal recognition undermining our identities and lack of political will to include us in the design and approval of programs to support vulnerable populations. Below we break down access to human rights by trans people per country. ARGENTINA No legal developments took place in 2019. It marked the last year of implementation of neoliberal policies; it was a period signaled by severe setbacks in trans persons’ guarantees and access to human rights. The tight budget and lack of political will mainly affected trans people. In 2020, despite the change in administration, the lives of transgender people have been doubly affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the presidential decree that introduced the mandatory lockdown was issued, trans people lost their jobs and were deprived of access to food or hygiene and cleaning products. In early September 2020, Alberto Fernández, through Presidential Decree No. 721/2020, established the hiring quota in the public sector for transgender people, ensuring that at least 1% of all positions and employment contracts be earmarked for cross-dressers, transsexual and transgender individuals. Several sectors expanded their headcount hiring trans people but as of the date of issuance of this report, there have been no major changes and the transgender community remains excluded from the formal employment system. Even though this decree has been a significant step, it is not enough. Hence, Argentina’s NTRO, the ATTTA (Asociación de Travestis, Transexuales y Transgéneros de Argentina) brought forward Comprehensive Trans Bill that proposes a series of measures and programs to provide trans people with access to comprehensive health, education, work, justice, reparations and housing, among others. The bill is being reviewed in Congress and we expect it to be debated so that trans human 6
