Core Programmes / Strategies

(1) Advocacy and Awareness Raising: raising awareness of trans and intersex issues through outreach activities, social media platforms, community dialogues, and strategic advocacy aimed at policy makers.

(2) Outreach and Psycho-Social Support: creating spaces for horizontal and peer learning between trans and intersex people throughout the country in order to understand their daily challenges as well as to share information on Trans and Intersex issues while providing affirming safe spaces for support.

(3) Training, Capacity Strengthening and Movement Building: providing training, sensitisation, capacity strengthening and guidance for service providers; particularly in the health and education sectors. Strengthening the capacity of trans and intersex persons so that they can speak on their own issues, lead their own agenda and contribute to movement building.

Our Context / Pressing Issues

Access to legal gender recognition is one of the most pressing matters affecting trans and intersex people in South Africa. Although a law exists to facilitate gender marker change for trans and intersex people, the law is not properly implemented. It creating obstacles for trans and intersex people. The pathologising nature of the law, which requires access to gender affirming therapy before one can gain a gender marker, is linked to other issues in the pubic health sector, as most transgender people struggle to access gender affirming therapy, hospitals have waiting list of up to 20 years, and the quality of the service is often questionable. TIA engages in advocacy with both the department of health and the department of home affairs to increase access to affirming healthcare services while also ensuring access to gender marker changes without obstacles.

Other major issues include discrimination and violence in communities, schools and within working environments. Trans people are often victims of hate speech, discrimination and violence. TIA’s interventions include awareness raising, provision of support and intervention-especially in schools when learners are discriminated against. This is often followed by training for employers, teachers and social workers on the protection of the rights trans and intersex persons.

None of this work is possible without awareness raising and visibility work, TIA’s primary work also includes awareness raising on the existence of trans and intersex people, the issues the face and the policy and implementation strategies that are needed to promote and protect their rights.