A United Nations expert has issued a call for the UK government to protect women’s rights by preserving single-sex spaces and services. This request is aligned with an ongoing debate over a draft Code of Practice that is pending approval by the UK Parliament. Some members view this draft as a potential setback for transgender rights.
Reem Alsalem, the UN special rapporteur on violence against women and girls, highlighted the importance of single-sex spaces in safeguarding women’s and girls’ right to privacy and protection from male violence. She asserted that questioning a person’s sex when granting access to such spaces is a reasonable measure to balance women’s rights and minority rights. Alsalem expressed disappointment with parliamentary resistance to the draft guidance, emphasizing that public reaction has demonstrated the fragile nature of women’s rights protection and how readily these rights can be challenged. More on this issue can be found in a report from JURIST.
The UK’s Equality and Human Rights Commission developed the Code of Practice for services, public functions, and associations in May. According to this code, organizations can offer single-sex services when joint services are insufficient. It also allows for the exclusion of transgender individuals from gender-affected activities when necessary for safety or fairness. The parliamentary scrutiny phase concluded on July 9, and the code now awaits implementation by the Minister for Women and Equalities.
Public opposition has been vocal, notably from the Green Party, which criticized the draft for lacking oversight mechanisms to protect transgender people from discrimination. The party contends that the code infringes on articles 8 and 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights. In contrast, Seema Malhotra, the minister for equalities, clarified that the code does not prevent transgender individuals from accessing services. She mentioned that service providers could offer mixed-sex facilities or specific support for transgender people, ensuring a balance for all.
This draft follows a 2025 UK Supreme Court decision which interpreted the Equality Act 2010 as defining sex biologically. Consequently, trans women do not receive the legal protections granted to women under this act. Earlier this year, other UN experts urged the UK to ensure the draft code allows transgender people to live safely and with dignity, warning against routine sex-based exclusion and verification. Such practices may contravene international human rights law.