housing as they cannot obtain relevant legal permits without denying their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.53 54 Moreover, they are not eligible for social services and health assistance provided by the State for recognized transgender individuals. Additionally, gender segregation is enforced in some instances in higher education, restricting access of nonrecognised transgender individuals and contributing to the risk of harassment and bullying. 55 56 57 Even with state recognition, transgender individuals suffer from social stigma, impacting their opportunity to seek and obtain employment.58 In its general comment on non-discrimination, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, has recognized sexual orientation and gender identity as among the prohibited grounds of discrimination.59 In addition, the Committee has affirmed the principle of non- discrimination on grounds of sexual orientation and gender identity in its general comments on the rights to work, social security and the highest attainable standard of health.60 However, discrimination and societal stigma has been implicitly tolerated, if not explicitly encouraged in the Islamic Republic of Iran. Recommendation Status: This recommendation has NOT been implemented. 53 OutRight International, 2016, https://outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/OutRightTransReport.pdf Iranian Railroad for Queer Refugees (IRQR), 2018, https://irqr.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/IQW-Report.pdf 55 OutRight International, 2016, https://outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/OutRightTransReport.pdf 56 Human Rights Watch, 2012, https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/09/22/iran-ensure-equal-access-higher-education 57 Iranian Lesbian & Transgender Network (6Rang), 2015, https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/Treaties/CRC/Shared%20Documents/IRN/INT_CRC_NGO_IRN_19808_E.pdf 58 OutRight International, 2016, https://outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/OutRightTransReport.pdf 59 Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 20, Non-Discrimination in Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 2, para. 2) (E/C.12/GC/20), para. 32. https://www.refworld.org/docid/4a60961f2.html 60 See General Comment No. 18 (E/C.12/GC/18) (right to work), para. 12 (b) (i) https://www.refworld.org/docid/4415453b4.html ; No. 19 (E/C.12/GC/19) (right to social security), para. 29; https://www.refworld.org/docid/47b17b5b39c.html ; No. 14 (E/C.12/2000/4) (right to the highest attainable standard of health), para. 18 https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/4538838d0.pdf 54 6