The project adopted a case study approach of the situations in Italy, Switzerland and the UK. Documentary analysis provided understandings of human rights, citizenship and democracy, as well as the history of the various styles of activism and rights claims in this arena. Interview schedules were designed using the findings and concepts developed in the review of EU-wide developments and the literature review of relevant scholarship. Qualitative research was conducted with patient advocates, intersex activists, medical practitioners and policy makers (a total of 40 interviews). Participant action research with the partner organization Zwischengeschlecht was conducted which included preparation of the NGO report for the CEDAW's (Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women) review of Italy in July 2017.
Dissemination activities were conducted throughout the course of the research action. Five events in the UK and Italy were organized in collaboration with stakeholders. The PI and supervisor gave 28 seminars, talks and conference presentations, including a keynote speech, at 16 different institutions in five different countries. Downloadable dissemination materials were developed including stakeholder and human rights briefs and a visual presentation on ‘stakeholder perspective on intersex human rights proclamations’. A policy report was published in October 2017, which has since been widely downloaded. A pioneering international conference was organized at the University of Bologna, 4-5 June 2018. The conference was attended by 75 academics, activists and advocates from over 20 different countries and a call for papers for a special multi-disciplinary journal issue on intersex was launched. An editorial board of 9 renowned interdisciplinary intersex scholars was constructed and the special issue proposal was accepted by the journal Culture, Health & Sexuality. Two scientific articles were published during the course of the project in Citizenship Studies and the International Journal of Human Rights. Two other articles are forthcoming subject to revisions in Etnoantropologia, and Sociology of Health and Illness and a further paper is being developed for the Special Edition of Culture, Health & Sexuality.
