Peru - May 2024

The Health Ministry published a decree in which it introduced changes to policy on health insurance coverage. The decree classifies transgender identity and other expressions of gender and sexual diversity as ‘mental health problems’ that are to be covered by private and public insurance. Protests and widespread criticism of the classification led to the Ministry issuing a statement that the decree’s classification was necessary to ensure access to mental health services for members of the LGBTQIA+ community, especially for those with private health insurance. Officials have contended that this modification will facilitate billing services to private insurers. Activists and other experts criticize the classification for relying on World Health Organization terminology that is no longer in use. They further argue it could potentially enable harmful practices such as conversion therapy, on account of its stigmatizing and discriminatory terms and given the national context where many rights are not recognized, and violence against LGBTQIA+ people is common. 

Update: Through a subsequent regulation, the Ministry of Health added new codes in June and removed the classification of these expressions of gender identity as mental health problems.

Sources: Infobae, CNN, El Pais, Diario Oficial El Peruano, New York Times, MINSA