The Norwegian Child Welfare, Youth, and Family Directorate (Bufdir) has conducted an assessment regarding the introduction of a third legal gender category, as well as other measures to promote recognition of gender identity. The background for the assessment is a desire to improve the rights and living situation of non-binary individuals. As part of the assessment, Oslo Economics has examined the economic and administrative consequences of three different measures, compared to the current situation and expected developments in the absence of new measures.
In the analysis, Oslo Economics assesses three different measures. The first measure concerns a reservation against disclosing gender in public identification documents (“X in the passport”). The second measure involves the introduction of a third legal gender category with accompanying legal changes. The third measure involves normative measures to work towards the recognition of gender and gender identity, including the development of a national guide that aims to improve the rights situation for non-binary individuals. The proposed measures are not mutually exclusive, and it may be relevant to implement various combinations of these measures.
