A collection of LGBTI and transgender groups have welcomed a United Nations report on gender identity. The report said member states should not classify varied forms of gender as diseases.

The UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, Victor Madrigal-Borloz, released his report ahead of the UN General Assembly in New York this week.

The UN expert urged countries to respect gender as an important part of identity. The report also provides guidelines on how to prevent violence and discrimination based on gender identity.

The expert called on all states to ‘adopt all measures necessary to prevent, investigate and punish violence and discrimination based on gender identity perpetrated by both State and non‑State actors’.

A joint statement from nine global LGBTI groups, including ILGA and Transgender Europe, said they ‘celebrate’ the new report.

The groups were grateful to the report ‘for giving trans and gender diverse people’s human rights the careful attention they deserve’, according to the statement.

‘We applaud the inclusion of specific terminology particularly relevant to our communities,’ the statement said.

The report explores terms such as trans, gender diversity, non-binary and gender-affirming treatment and how they differ in different cultures and regions.

The UN expert also said children shared the same human rights to access legal gender recognition and gender-affirming healthcare.

‘Gender diversity in childhood is a central issue for us’ the LGBTI groups said.

‘We highly appreciate the support expressed by the Report to the full recognition of children as subjects of human rights’.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) last week called for a ‘gender-affirmative care model’ last week.

It called on healthcare professionals, parents, and others to respect children and youth’s choice of gender

The Independent Expert on protection against violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is appointed by the UN Human Rights Council and was first mandated in 2016.

The expert issues reports to the Human Rights Council and the General Assembly.