UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk raised the concerns in a letter to the President of the Assembly of the Republic, José Pedro Aguiar-Branco.

The three proposals have already passed an initial parliamentary vote and are now being considered in detail. If they are not withdrawn, Türk has called for them to be reviewed through a transparent and inclusive consultation process before moving forward.

What the change would mean

One of the main points concerns the legal recognition of gender identity.

Proposals from the PSD and Chega would reintroduce a requirement for medical documentation in the process. The UN argues that legal gender recognition should instead be based on individual self-determination through a straightforward administrative procedure.

The High Commissioner’s office warned that requiring a medical diagnosis or report risks treating gender identity as a medical disorder and could affect rights including privacy and personal autonomy.

Türk also specifically criticised terminology in Chega’s proposal referring to a “gender identity disorder”, arguing that it could stigmatise transgender people. The terminology is no longer included in the World Health Organization’s classification of mental disorders.

Another issue involves 16 and 17-year-olds.

Under Portugal’s current system, young people of these ages can request changes to their name and gender marker in the civil registry with parental consent and medical confirmation of their capacity to make the decision. The PSD and Chega proposals would remove that possibility.

The UN argues that any changes affecting those rights should involve consultation with the young people directly affected. It also stresses that changing someone’s legal name or gender marker is a separate issue from receiving medical treatment.

The CDS-PP proposal addresses medical treatment more directly, seeking to prohibit hormone treatments and puberty blockers for people under 18.

The UN acknowledges that there is ongoing scientific, legal, and ethical debate surrounding such treatments, but argues that an outright prohibition could raise questions about children’s rights to health and non-discrimination.

Chega says it will not withdraw proposal

Chega leader André Ventura responded to the UN intervention on Wednesday morning, saying his party would not withdraw its legislation.

Ventura described Chega’s proposal as “absolutely reasonable” and reiterated his opposition to minors being allowed to legally change sex.

The UN intervention follows a complaint made by Bloco de Esquerda MP Fabian Figueiredo and MEP Catarina Martins over the proposed changes to Portugal’s existing gender identity legislation.

The proposals will now continue through parliament, where the detailed wording can still be amended before any final legislation is approved.