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Core to her work as special rapporteur are her claims that sex and gender should not be conflated, and that both should be recorded in data.<ref name=":2" /> She considers that in some situations there may be a clash between [[women's rights]] and [[transgender rights]].<ref name=":2" />
She opposed the [[Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill]] and claimed it could "open the door for violent males."<ref name="bbc" /> Her views were contradicteddisputed by the [[United Nations Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity]], [[Victor Madrigal-Borloz]], and the spokesperson for the [[United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights]] who said that "everyone (...) should have access to legal recognition of their gender identity based on self-identification."<ref name="bbc">{{cite news |title=UN chief backs Scottish government's gender recognition reforms |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-63993415 |access-date=11 February 2024 |work=BBC}}</ref> Six feminist organizations in Scotland—[[Engender]], JustRight Scotland, Scottish Women’sWomen's Rights Centre, [[Scottish Women's Aid]], [[Amnesty International]] Scotland and [[Rape Crisis Scotland]]—also expressed disappointment by Alsaleem's comments, accusing her of failing to speak with Scottish human rights or feminist organisations before her statements.<ref>{{cite news |title=Scottish feminists hit back at UN gender recognition warning |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23160294.scottish-feminists-hit-back-un-gender-recognition-warning/ |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=The National}}</ref> In 2023 Alsalem attended the [[gender-critical]] [[FiLiA]] conference, amid protests against the conference.<ref>{{cite news |title=JK Rowling speaks at FiLiA feminist conference labelled 'transphobic' |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23857658.jk-rowling-speaks-filia-feminist-conference-labelled-transphobic/ |access-date=9 February 2024 |work=The National}}</ref>
Her callAccording to recognise that sex and gender are distinct led in 2023 to open letters published by the Sexual''[[New Rights Initiative (SRI)<ref>{{Cite web |title=SRIStatesman]]'s', statement"her on the Special Rapporteurinsistence on VAW,recognising Reemthe Alsalem,difference harmfulbetween positionsex onand gender identityhas |url=https://www.sexualrightsinitiative.org/news/2023-feb/sris-statement-special-rapporteur-vaw-reem-alsalem-harmful-position-gender-identitylanded |access-date=25her Februaryin 2024 |website=Sexual Rights Initiative}}</ref>trouble."<ref name=":32"/>{{cite webIn |last1=Alsalem2023 |first1=Reeman |title=Statementopen byletter Reempublished Alsalem |url=https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/women/sr/activities/SR-VAWG-Response-AWID.pdf |access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref> andby the [[Association for Women's Rights in Development|Association for Women’sWomen's Rights in Development]] (AWID),<ref name="awid">{{cite web |title=There Is No Place for Anti-Trans Agendas in the UN |url=https://www.awid.org/news-and-analysis/there-no-place-anti-trans-agendas-un |access-date=9 February 2024 |publisher=[[Association for Women's Rights in Development]]}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> endorsed by several hundred NGOs and women's groups, that accuseaccused her of being "[[anti-trans]]", which she denies.<ref name=":3">{{cite web |last1=Alsalem |first1=Reem |title=Statement by Reem Alsalem |url=https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/women/sr/activities/SR-VAWG-Response-AWID.pdf |access-date=11 February 2024}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Barnes |first=Hannah |date=2024-02-24 |title=Reem Alsalem on the biggest obstacles to ending violence against women |url=https://www.newstatesman.com/the-weekend-interview/2024/02/reem-alsalem-biggest-obstacles-ending-violence-against-women |access-date=2024-02-25 |website=New Statesman |language=en-US}}</ref> An open letter published by [[Maya Forstater|Sex Matters]] supported her position.<ref>{{cite web |last1author=Alsalem<!--not |first1=Reemstated--> |title=StatementLet bythe ReemUN AlsalemSpecial Rapporteur on VAWG Deliver her Mandate |url=https://www.ohchrsex-matters.org/siteswp-content/defaultuploads/files2023/documents06/issues/women/sr/activities/SROpen-letter-Let-the-UN-Special-Rapporteur-on-VAWG-ResponseDeliver-AWIDher-Mandate-21-June-2023.pdf |website=sex-matters.org |publisher=Sex Matters |access-date=1129 FebruaryApril 2024}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> Alsalem asks why is it "problematic" for people to say: "This is important; many of our needs emanate from being female, or male, and there are certain instances where it’s proportionate, legitimate and perfectly necessary to keep a space single sex".<ref name=":2" /> Legal scholar Jens Theilen said that Alsalem "is using women’swomen's rights as a tool to undermine trans rights" and considered her actions "a stark example of individual politics furthering rather than contesting oppression," citing the AWID letter.<ref name="Theilen">{{cite journal |last1=Theilen |first1=Jens |date=2024 |title=Intersectionality’s Travels to International Human Rights Law |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4504732 |journal=[[Michigan Journal of International Law]] |volume=45 |issue=2 |quote=A stark example of individual politics furthering rather than contesting oppression is found in the work of the current Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls, its causes and consequences, Reem Alsalem, who is using women’s rights as a tool to undermine trans rights; see the protest letter AWID, There Is No Place for Anti-Trans Agendas in the UN (2023)}}</ref> In 2024 website 4W reported that Alsalem's visit to Brazil had been effectively cancelled by the country's government due to her gender-critical views and what Maria Aquino, an adviser to the Brazilian Women’s Ministry on LGBT affairs, referred to as her "anti-trans" position.<ref>{{cite web |title=Leaked Audio Reveals Reem Alsalem 2023 Brazil Visit “Indefinitely Postponed” Due to Alleged “Transphobia” |url=https://4w.pub/leaked-audio-reveals-reem-alsalem-2023-brazil-visit-indefinitely-postponed-due-to-alleged-transphobia/ |publisher=4W |access-date=9 September 2024}}</ref>
Alsalem was criticised in 2023 by Claire Waxman, London’sLondon's Victims’Victims' Commissioner, as she did not speak out on reports of [[Sexual and gender-based violence in the 7 October attack on Israel|sexual and gender-based violence in the 7 October attack]] on Israel against Israeli women during and following the [[2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel|Hamas-led attack]].<ref name=":2" /> In response, Alsalem said she had condemned "what happened on 7 October", had contacted NGOs in Israel without reply, and said she could not make "sweeping statements" without receiving evidence.<ref name=":2" />
In 2024, Alsalem said that "grave violations of international human rights and humanitarian law" had been committed in Gaza by Israeli troops.<ref name=":2" /> In a formal statement, she described "credible" allegations of "multiple forms of sexual assault", such as rape and strip-searches, against Palestinian women and girls.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=19 February 2024 |title=Israel/oPt: UN experts appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/02/israelopt-un-experts-appalled-reported-human-rights-violations-against |access-date=21 February 2024 |website=United Nations}}</ref> When asked to provide the source for her allegations, Alsalem cited unsubstantiated reports by [[Richard A. Falk]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jerusalem Post |first=The |date=2024-03-06 |title=UN Special Rapporteur 'unaware' of rocket attacks on Israel |url=https://www.jpost.com/israel-hamas-war/article-790390 |access-date=2024-03-06|website=www.jpost.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Israel denied the allegations.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Algemeiner |first=The |date=2024-02-20 |title=Israel Denies UN Report Claiming Israeli Forces Assaulted Palestinian Women - Algemeiner.com |url=https://www.algemeiner.com/2024/02/20/israel-denies-un-report-claiming-israeli-forces-assaulted-palestinian-women/ |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.algemeiner.com |language=en-US}}</ref>
In January 2024, Alsalem criticised the composition of a [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) committee, saying that most committee members had "strong, one-sided views in favour of promoting hormonal gender transition and legal recognition of self-asserted gender" and that none of them was an expert in adolescent development.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gentleman |first1=Amelia |date=9 January 2024 |title=UN envoy criticises 'one-sided' WHO approach to trans health guidelines |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/jan/09/un-envoy-criticises-one-sided-who-approach-trans-health-guidelines |access-date=11 February 2024 |website=theguardian.com |publisher=The Guardian}}</ref> Author [[Helen Joyce]] supported Alsalem, emphasising from her letter "the short time-frame given for comments, the unbalanced group developing the guidelines and the uncritical endorsement of gender self-ID".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Martin |first=Daniel |date=2024-01-09 |title=WHO ‘putting women at risk’ with trans self-ID plan, says UN expert |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/01/09/trans-plans-world-health-organisaiton-risk-united-nations/ |access-date=2024-02-25 |work=The Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}</ref>
In February 2024, Alsalem criticised the UK's strategies for combatting violence against women and girls. She said: "Entrenched patriarchy at almost every level of society, combined with a rise in misogyny that permeates the physical and online world, is denying thousands of women and girls across the UK the right to live in safety, free from fear and violence".<ref>{{cite web |last1=Abdul |first1=Geneva |title=‘I am weary’: Jess Phillips reads MPs list of women killed by men for ninth year|date=29 February 2024 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/feb/29/i-am-weary-jess-phillips-reads-mps-list-of-women-killed-by-men-for-ninth-year |website=theguardian.com |publisher=Guardian |access-date=1 March 2024}}</ref>
She was one of the many UN experts who spoke out against the sale of arms to Israel in June 2024 as a result of the [[Gaza–Israel conflict|conflict in Gaza]]. The experts cautioned arms suppliers and finance companies that they may be implicated in human rights violations. The signatories to the warning included special reporteurs [[Paula Gaviria Betancur]], [[Tlaleng Mofokeng]], [[Mary Lawlor (human rights advocate)|Mary Lawlor]], [[Margaret Satterthwaite]] and [[Francesca Albanese]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2024 |title=States and companies must end arms transfers to Israel immediately or risk responsibility for human rights violations: UN experts |url=https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/06/states-and-companies-must-end-arms-transfers-israel-immediately-or-risk |access-date=25 June 2024}}</ref>
== References ==
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