Intersexuality: The Role of Political Elite in Recognizing, Respecting, Protecting and Affirming Persons Born with Intersex Variations’ Human and Citizenship Rights in Tanzania

Abstract

Intersex’ is an umbrella for persons born with variations of sex characteristics which may not correspond with societal and medical expected ‘male’ or ‘female’ bodies. Persons with intersex variations, therefore, are born with physical or biological characteristics that do not fit the typical definition for ‘male’ or ‘female’. In this paper I establish that there is no vivacious evidence that the Tanzania Government has taken stern measures to end discrimination against persons born with intersex variations in the country, and to ensure the right of bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination as per demands and calls by The UN Human Rights Declarations and Resolutions, The Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action 1993, The Malta Declaration, 2013, the World Intersex Fora (that took place between 2011 and 2017), The Public Statement by the African Intersex Movement, 2017, and The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, 2023. Incontestably, awareness of intersex conditions and persons born with intersex variations’ human and citizenship rights is increasing among this population group, researchers, parents/guardians, activists and in the media in this country. Increase of awareness is likely to come with increasing revolt, which may provide the impetus for legal reform. The Tanzania government, therefore, ought not to wait for this ignominy to surface — rather should act now to end cosmetic and harmful surgeries and protect vulnerable infants and children born with intersex variations in this country.