Public Statement: Joint Statement on Trans Day of Visibility 2026

By Right Side Human Rights NGO, National Trans Coalition and Global Foundation for Trans Rights Protection

I. Introduction

On the occasion of Trans Day of Visibility 2026, we, the undersigned trans-led organizations, reaffirm our commitment to the promotion and protection of the human rights of trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse persons in Armenia and across the region.

This day serves not only as a moment of recognition and visibility, but also as a critical opportunity to assess ongoing challenges, structural barriers, and emerging threats affecting trans communities.

II. Rising Anti-Gender Mobilization and Disinformation

In recent years, there has been a marked increase in organized anti-trans and anti-gender movements at both global and regional levels. These movements operate through coordinated strategies that include:

• The dissemination of disinformation and misleading narratives about gender identity
• The instrumentalization of media platforms to amplify stigma and moral panic
• The use of politicized rhetoric to frame trans rights as incompatible with cultural or national values

Such narratives contribute to the systematic dehumanization of trans individuals and legitimize discriminatory practices. Importantly, these dynamics are not isolated phenomena but form part of broader efforts to undermine human rights protections and civic freedoms.

III. Structural and Legislative Gaps in Armenia

In Armenia, trans communities continue to face significant legal and institutional barriers, including:

• Absence of comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation explicitly protecting individuals on the basis of gender identity and expression
• Lack of accessible, transparent, and rights-based legal gender recognition procedures grounded in self-determination
• Insufficient legal frameworks addressing hate crimes and hate speech, particularly in online environments

These legislative gaps contribute to systemic exclusion and hinder equal access to fundamental rights, including healthcare, employment, education, and justice.

IV. Targeting of Trans Activists and Shrinking Civic Space

Trans activists and human rights defenders are increasingly subjected to targeted attacks aimed at silencing their work. Key patterns include:

• Coordinated online harassment, including hate speech, threats, and doxxing
• Disinformation campaigns. 
• Public discrediting and stigmatization of activists and organizations
• Heightened risks associated with visibility and advocacy

These developments reflect a broader trend of shrinking civic space, where marginalized groups face disproportionate barriers to participation and representation.

V. Resource Constraints and Sustainability Challenges

Trans-led organizations in Armenia operate within a context of limited and often unstable funding. This creates critical challenges, including:

• Reduced capacity to provide essential community-based services
• Constraints on long-term strategic advocacy and movement-building
• Increased reliance on short-term or project-based funding cycles

Sustainable resourcing remains essential to ensure the continuity, independence, and effectiveness of trans-led initiatives.

VI. Socio-Economic Marginalization and Everyday Impacts

The combined effect of legal gaps, stigma, and resource limitations results in significant socio-economic marginalization of trans individuals. This includes:

• Barriers to accessing safe and non-discriminatory healthcare services
• Limited employment opportunities and economic insecurity
• Exposure to violence, including gender-based and hate-motivated violence
• Social exclusion and reduced access to public services

These conditions are further exacerbated by the normalization of anti-trans rhetoric in public and digital spaces.

VII. Resilience, Community Leadership, and Achievements

Despite these challenges, trans communities in Armenia continue to demonstrate resilience, leadership, and innovation. Notable achievements include:

• Unity in trans movement, 
• Strengthening of trans-led community structures and support networks
• Increased visibility and representation in public discourse
• Documentation and advocacy addressing human rights violations
• Development of community-based responses to gaps in state services

These efforts underscore the critical role of trans-led organizations in advancing human rights and social inclusion.

VIII. Key Recommendations

In light of the above, we call upon national authorities, international partners, and civil society actors to take the following actions:

Legal and Policy Reform

• Adopt comprehensive anti-discrimination legislation inclusive of gender identity and expression
• Establish legal gender recognition procedures based on self-determination, accessibility, and dignity
• Strengthen legal frameworks addressing hate crimes and hate speech, including in digital environments

Protection and Accountability

• Ensure effective protection mechanisms for trans individuals, activists, and human rights defenders
• Investigate and address incidents of violence, threats, and harassment, both online and offline

Countering Disinformation

• Develop and implement strategies to counter anti-gender disinformation and harmful narratives
• Promote evidence-based, rights-affirming public discourse

Resourcing and Support

• Increase sustainable funding for trans-led organizations and community initiatives
• Support capacity-building and long-term movement development

IX. Conclusion

Trans Day of Visibility must extend beyond symbolic recognition. Visibility, in the absence of rights, safety, and protection, risks further exposing communities to harm.

We reaffirm our shared commitment to advancing a society in which trans people can live with dignity, equality, and full enjoyment of their human rights.

Our collective efforts demonstrate that, even in the face of systemic barriers, progress is possible.

Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO

National Trans Coalition 

Global Foundation for Trans Rights Protectio