A/HRC/35/36 up as women and vice versa, even the criminalization violates the person’s self-identified gender. 53. As noted in a recent UNHCR study: The majority of laws criminalizing same-sex sexual activity were noted by respondents in countries in Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East and North Africa region, with a few offices also highlighting similar laws targeting transgender identity. While many respondents in the Americas and Europe reported significant progress to ensure adequate legal protection of the human rights of LGBTI persons, there nonetheless remain some countries in these regions with laws that criminalize core aspects of LGBTI expression … While laws targeting LGBTI persons may be written to criminalize specific sexual acts rather than the broader identities of persons with a diverse sexual orientation or gender identity, some offices noted that such laws may nonetheless be used to prosecute individuals who identify as LGBTI. A respondent in a country in the Middle East and North Africa region reported, for instance, that “some LGBTI people have been convicted by the authorities solely for their presumed sexual orientation”, despite the fact that only same-sex activity, rather than LGBTI identity, is criminalized in the country of operation.30 54. There is thus a need to move towards decriminalization in respect of these laws, which regrettably help to fuel the violence and discrimination. B. Effective anti-discrimination measures 55. Many countries are still hampered by a lack of anti-discrimination measures or insufficient anti-discrimination measures; this, too, is linked to environments that lead to violence and discrimination. This is a longitudinal challenge, which starts in the home and extends to the education system, the workplace, and life beyond. Some countries have moved towards integrating sexual orientation and gender identity into their constitutions or laws, directly or indirectly, while others have policies and programmes to reflect sexual and gender diversity. Yet, within the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender setting, some groups are particularly marginalized and may need special measures to help overcome difficulties. For instance, transgender persons are often discriminated against at school and this pushes them out of the educational set-up; they might then fall into a situation of marginalization and then exploitation. 56. The discrimination is also intersectional. There might be tints of patriarchy impacting on women, which also impact negatively on lesbians and women who have sex with women. There might be traces of racism, which also impact negatively on refugees and migrants who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. There might be hints of extremism that impact negatively on those who wish to have their sexual orientation and gender identity respected culturally. Even where there are laws to protect people from discrimination, there might be weak implementation. This is further tested by issues such as access to justice and mechanisms and/or personnel that could provide some assistance and remedies, and the call for transparency and accountability. There is thus a need for effective anti-discrimination measures of a comprehensive kind — not only formal but also substantive, not only de jure but also de facto — in addition to the building of a community that is open to understanding and that respects sexual and gender diversity. 30 16 UNHCR, “Protecting persons with diverse sexual orientations and gender identities: a global report on UNHCR’s efforts to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex asylum seekers and refugees”, p. 13.