UN document uses “gender” without defining it in biological terms

Illustration for the 70th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), held in New York. Photo: Unwomen

On March 19, 2026, following a meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women, a document was adopted in which the term 'gender' is used without reference to biological sex. This was reported in the commission’s summary of the session.

The document was approved during the commission’s seventieth session, held from March 9 to 19 at UN headquarters in New York.

The text repeatedly uses the term “gender,” yet provides no precise definition and does not directly link it to biological sex.

The document also calls for the promotion of “gender equality.” The absence of a clear definition leaves room for differing interpretations, including those in which gender is viewed separately from a person’s physical nature.

During the discussions, proposals were made to explicitly link the concept of gender to biological sex, but those initiatives were not adopted. As a result, the final document retained language open to varying interpretations.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that Portugal had banned gender change for minors.

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