In January 2017, the Minister of Health of Kyrgyz Republic signed an order approving important clinical protocols and guidelines for healthcare, including "Manual for the provision of medical and social assistance to transgender, transsexual and gender nonconforming people for health professionals at all levels of healthcare and other departments of the Kyrgyz Republic" (hereinafter - Manual).

The work on the manual was being carried out in September-November 2016 by a working group of psychiatrists, psychotherapists, endocrinologists from Kyrgyzstan and Russia, with the consultative support of the specialist for the development of transgender people assistance programs and the LGBT organization Labrys, Kyrgyzstan. Expert support in the creation of the document was also provided by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH).

This manual was created to provide medical specialists at all levels of health care, other departments of the Kyrgyz Republic, and all interested persons with the standards of providing medical and social assistance to transgender, transsexual and gender nonconforming people. Medical and social assistance to transgender, transsexual and gender nonconforming people is aimed at helping people achieve maximum comfort in their gender identity, improving their health and quality of life, psychological well-being and self-realization based on respect for dignity, equality and human rights.

Within the framework on medical and social assistance, the Manual establishes an accessible, transparent and effective procedure for legal recognition and change of documents for transgender people without discriminatory contraindications. Access the Manual here