In Argentina, a law was passed by Congress to reserve 1% of the country’s public sector jobs for transgender people. On top of the jobs quota, the legislation also offers tax incentives and soft loans for private businesses that hire trans people.
The jobs quota applies to state-run banks, public companies and hospitals, as well as local and federal government departments.
This was actually originally introduced as an emergency decree by the center-left president last year, though this meant it required congressional approval at a later stage to become law.
Argentina – Latin America’s third-biggest economy – is the first country in the world to let trans people change their legal gender without requiring a judge’s permission or medical interventions.
Nonetheless, trans people there still encounter issues. A 2017 Buenos Aires government study, for instance, found that the life expectancy of trans people was just 32 years. Also, only 9% of trans people have a formal job; 70% are sex workers; and most did not finish school even if 92% of those surveyed wanted to complete their education.
The new law does not ban those with minor criminal records or those who did not finish school. Instead, trans candidates will be asked to complete their studies while working.
Neighboring Uruguay already has a similar policy, introduced in 2018.
