The Chega party proposed holding a parliamentary hearing of Reem Alsalem, UN special rapporteur on violence against women, within the framework of the discussion of the party's bill on sex change. The proposal arises in response to an appeal by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, who asked Portugal to withdraw this and other legislative proposals that it considers restrictive of the rights of trans people.
The special rapporteur has recently been the target of criticism from LGBTQ+ organizations and some governments, who accuse her of transphobic positions in the exercise of her functions. Alsalem has been particularly active on the issue of women's and girls' rights in the context of debates about gender identity, which has generated some international controversy.
The Chega party, of populist right, justifies the hearing as an opportunity to hear all perspectives on the matter before proceeding with legislation. The authors of the proposal argue that it is fundamental to guarantee the right to be heard in the parliamentary context.
The UN High Commissioner expressed concern about several legislative proposals under discussion in Portugal, considering that these may compromise the country's international commitments on human rights. The Portuguese government has not yet officially commented on whether it intends to follow up on the UN's request.
