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Her call to recognise that sex and gender are distinct led to open letters published by the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI)<ref>{{Cite web |title=SRI's statement on the Special Rapporteur on VAW, Reem Alsalem, harmful position on gender identity |url=https://www.sexualrightsinitiative.org/news/2023-feb/sris-statement-special-rapporteur-vaw-reem-alsalem-harmful-position-gender-identity |access-date=25 February 2024 |website=Sexual Rights Initiative}}</ref><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> and the [[Association for Women's Rights in Development|Association for Women’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 NGOs and women's groups, that accuse her of being "anti-trans", which she denies.<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 |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=":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’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>
Her call to recognise that sex and gender are distinct led to open letters published by the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI)<ref>{{Cite web |title=SRI's statement on the Special Rapporteur on VAW, Reem Alsalem, harmful position on gender identity |url=https://www.sexualrightsinitiative.org/news/2023-feb/sris-statement-special-rapporteur-vaw-reem-alsalem-harmful-position-gender-identity |access-date=25 February 2024 |website=Sexual Rights Initiative}}</ref><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> and the [[Association for Women's Rights in Development|Association for Women’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 NGOs and women's groups, that accuse her of being "anti-trans", which she denies.<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 |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=":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’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>


Alsalem was criticised in 2023 by Claire Waxman, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, and the [[Simon Wiesenthal Center]], 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>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-23 |title=MeToo unless you’re a Jew |url=https://www.jwa.org.uk/news/metoo-unless-youre-a-jew |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=Jewish Women's Aid |language=en}}</ref> reportedly labeling accounts of sexual violence as "disinformation".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title=2023 Top Ten Worst Global Anti-Semitic Incidents |url=https://www.wiesenthal.com/assets/pdf/tt_2023.pdf |access-date=21 February 2024 |website=Simon Wiesenthal Center}}</ref> Alsalem stated that "[r]eports of sexual violence must be verified, thoroughly investigated and those responsible must be held accountable. Incitements to commit such violence must also stop."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-20 |title=Women bearing the brunt of Israel-Gaza conflict: UN expert - occupied Palestinian territory {{!}} ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/women-bearing-brunt-israel-gaza-conflict-un-expert |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=reliefweb.int |language=en}}</ref> In February 2024 she co-authored a statement expressing "alarm over credible allegations of egregious human rights violations to which Palestinian women and girls continue to be subjected in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank".<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> Israel denied the allegations.<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>
Alsalem was criticised in 2023 by Claire Waxman, London’s 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" /> Alsalem stated that "[r]eports of sexual violence must be verified, thoroughly investigated and those responsible must be held accountable. Incitements to commit such violence must also stop."<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-11-20 |title=Women bearing the brunt of Israel-Gaza conflict: UN expert - occupied Palestinian territory {{!}} ReliefWeb |url=https://reliefweb.int/report/occupied-palestinian-territory/women-bearing-brunt-israel-gaza-conflict-un-expert |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=reliefweb.int |language=en}}</ref> In February 2024 she co-authored a statement expressing "alarm over credible allegations of egregious human rights violations to which Palestinian women and girls continue to be subjected in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank".<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> Israel denied the allegations.<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 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>

Revision as of 11:28, 25 February 2024

Reem Alsalem
Born1976 (age 47–48)
Cairo, Egypt
EducationThe American University in Cairo
University of Oxford
EmployerUnited Nations
TitleUnited Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women
Term2021–
PredecessorDubravka Šimonovic

Reem Alsalem (born 1976) is a Jordanian independent consultant and former civil servant. Since August 2021 she has served as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls.

Biography

Alsalem was born in Cairo, Egypt in 1976.[1] She was educated at The American University in Cairo where she completed a master's degree in International Relations in 2001. She subsequently graduated from the University of Oxford in 2003 with a Masters in Human Rights Law.[2]

She was employed for 17 years as an international civil servant by the UNHCR where she worked with refugees in 13 countries.[3][4] She left in 2016 to work as an independent consultant on humanitarian and gender issues.[5] She speaks Arabic, English, French, German and Spanish.[3]

Alsalem was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls and took up the role in August 2021.[5]

Alsalem has made several statements on transgender people and transgender rights. She opposed the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and claimed it could "open the door for violent males."[6] Her views were contradicted 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."[6] Six feminist organizations in Scotland—Engender, JustRight Scotland, Scottish Women’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.[7] In 2023 Alsalem attended the gender-critical FiLiA conference, amid protests against the conference.[8]

Her call to recognise that sex and gender are distinct led to open letters published by the Sexual Rights Initiative (SRI)[9][10] and the Association for Women’s Rights in Development (AWID),[11][10] endorsed by NGOs and women's groups, that accuse her of being "anti-trans", which she denies.[12] An open letter published by Sex Matters supported her position.[13][10] 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".[12] Legal scholar Jens Theilen said that Alsalem "is using women’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.[14]

Alsalem was criticised in 2023 by Claire Waxman, London’s Victims’ Commissioner, as she did not speak out on reports of sexual and gender-based violence in the 7 October attack on Israel against Israeli women during and following the Hamas-led attack.[12] Alsalem stated that "[r]eports of sexual violence must be verified, thoroughly investigated and those responsible must be held accountable. Incitements to commit such violence must also stop."[15] In February 2024 she co-authored a statement expressing "alarm over credible allegations of egregious human rights violations to which Palestinian women and girls continue to be subjected in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank".[16] Israel denied the allegations.[17]

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.[18] 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".[19]

References

  1. ^ Plaza Casares, Sara (19 December 2021). "Reem Alsalem: "En España los testimonios de padres presuntos abusadores tienen más credibilidad que los de las madres que denuncian los abusos"". El Salto. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls". Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Reem Alsalem". The Brussels Binder. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Reem Alsalem". European Institute for Gender Equality. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  5. ^ a b "Reem Alsalem". Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
  6. ^ a b "UN chief backs Scottish government's gender recognition reforms". BBC. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Scottish feminists hit back at UN gender recognition warning". The National. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  8. ^ "JK Rowling speaks at FiLiA feminist conference labelled 'transphobic'". The National. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  9. ^ "SRI's statement on the Special Rapporteur on VAW, Reem Alsalem, harmful position on gender identity". Sexual Rights Initiative. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Alsalem, Reem. "Statement by Reem Alsalem" (PDF). Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  11. ^ "There Is No Place for Anti-Trans Agendas in the UN". Association for Women's Rights in Development. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
  12. ^ a b c Barnes, Hannah (24 February 2024). "Reem Alsalem on the biggest obstacles to ending violence against women". New Statesman. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  13. ^ Alsalem, Reem. "Statement by Reem Alsalem" (PDF). Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  14. ^ Theilen, Jens (2024). "Intersectionality's Travels to International Human Rights Law". Michigan Journal of International Law. 45 (2). 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)
  15. ^ "Women bearing the brunt of Israel-Gaza conflict: UN expert - occupied Palestinian territory | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  16. ^ "Israel/oPt: UN experts appalled by reported human rights violations against Palestinian women and girls". United Nations. 19 February 2024. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  17. ^ Algemeiner, The (20 February 2024). "Israel Denies UN Report Claiming Israeli Forces Assaulted Palestinian Women - Algemeiner.com". www.algemeiner.com. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  18. ^ Gentleman, Amelia (9 January 2024). "UN envoy criticises 'one-sided' WHO approach to trans health guidelines". theguardian.com. The Guardian. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  19. ^ Martin, Daniel (9 January 2024). "WHO 'putting women at risk' with trans self-ID plan, says UN expert". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
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