Check against delivery - Speech by Alain Berset, Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Acting President Dalli,
Excellencies,
Mr. Ghattas,
Colleagues,
And the intersex people, families, and advocates with us here today,

Welcome!

This room has witnessed important moments in history.

And today, we make history together.

For the first time, all forty-six member States of the Council of Europe have said with one voice:

Intersex persons are entitled to the same rights, dignity, and opportunities as everyone else.

It was unanimous.

In today’s world, unanimity is rare.

And when it is about human rights, this changes everything.

The latest data from FRA about the reality of being intersex in Europe today is alarming.

One in three intersex people have reported being physically or sexually assaulted.

Hate-motivated harassment has nearly doubled.

In schools, nearly eighty percent have been bullied, ridiculed, or threatened.

A majority has been subjected to surgeries or medical treatments to alter their sex characteristics without their consent.

And more than half have contemplated suicide.

There is one finding that is very revealing:

Most intersex people still do not believe their governments protect them from prejudice or hate.

Trust is everything — especially in a democracy.

When the system fails to protect, it leaves people exposed — and alone.

But here, in this room, we are not alone.

Here are the faces behind those numbers.

And the voices that refuse to be silenced.

Your courage has brought us here today.

The Recommendation we launch today is historic.

Not because it creates new standards.

But because it makes existing ones impossible to ignore.

It builds on core human rights principles:

Bodily integrity and autonomy.

Free and informed consent.

Protection from inhuman treatment.

Children’s participation.

Equality and non-discrimination.

And participation in all areas of life.

These are not new promises.

They are promises long overdue.

And today, we have a roadmap to make them real.

This text is also a model to follow in terms of participation.

A model that has brought together governments, experts, and intersex-led organisations.

We have an expression for this:

‘Nothing about us without us.’

For me, this is what we mean when we talk about the New Democratic Pact for Europe.

It is a dialogue where people — including intersex people — feel heard, empowered, and protected.

That collaboration gave the Recommendation its legitimacy — and its soul.

The recognition it has received from intersex communities is the true measure of success.

When forty-six countries come together, you do not just hear one voice.

What you hear is the weight of a shared commitment.

And this at a time when multilateralism is in crisis.

As narratives of confusion and hate seek to divide us, this Recommendation proves that Europe can still unite.

Not in fear, but in dignity.

It is proof that our values are what bind us together.

No matter who we are and where we come from.

But our work does not end here.

Adoption is not implementation.

The real test begins now.

We are committed to supporting our member States.

Through legislative and policy efforts.

By building capacity and fostering peer exchanges.

And by working closely with civil society.

Until dignity and equality are a lived reality for every intersex person in Europe.

I want to thank Malta for its leadership — for reminding us that real progress begins with political courage.

The Committee of Ministers for its resolve — for showing that unity in principle can become unity in purpose.

Civil society for its courage — for standing up when standing still was easier.

And above all, the intersex people who made this moment possible — your voices have turned silence into visibility, and visibility into change.

For too long, you have been told to hide.

You have faced stigma.

Violence and bullying.

Non-consensual surgeries and medicalisation.

Discrimination in education, employment, housing, and healthcare.

Tonight, as the Palais de l’Europe shines purple, we say enough.

Equality has no exception.

Dignity belongs to EVERY… body.

And every person deserves to live free, safe, and seen.

As they are — and as they deserve to be.

Thank you.