asked the Australian government to confirm whether or not such medical interventions persist, and asking about implementation of the 2013 Senate report. In December 2016, the United Nations Committee Against Torture asked the Australian government to confirm the availability of civil and criminal remedies for irreversible medical interventions as children, including the applicability of statutes of limitations. In March 2017, an Australian and Aotearoa/New Zealand community statement called for acknowledgement, an apology, and compensation for intersex people who have been subjected to "involuntary or coercive medical interventions". In March 2017, an Australian and Aotearoa/New Zealand community statement called for the criminalization of deferrable intersex medical interventions. In June 2017, and in response to a joint submission by almost 50 non-governmental organizations, the UN Committee on Economic Social and Cultural Rights stated concern that "children born with intersex variations are subject to early surgeries and medical interventions before they are able to provide full and informed consent", calling for implementation of the 2013 Senate report. The United Nations Human Rights Committee recommended in December 2017 that Australia "move to end irreversible medical treatment, especially surgery, of intersex infants and children, who are not yet able to provide fully informed and free consent, unless such procedures constitute an absolute medical necessity". In July 2018, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women issued concluding observations on harmful practices, recommending that Australia adopt "Adopt clear legislative provisions explicitly prohibiting the performance of unnecessary surgical or other medical treatment on intersex children before they reach the legal age of consent". The Committee also called for implementation of the 2013 Senate committee report, the provision of redress, counselling and support to families. In mid 2018, the Australian Human Rights Commission commenced a project on protecting the rights of Australians born with variations in sex characteristics in the context of medical interventions. Protection from discrimination At the federal level, "intersex status" became a protected attribute in the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 (Cth), making it unlawful to discriminate against a person based upon that person's intersex status in contexts such as work, education, provision of services, and accommodation. The Act defines intersex status as: The Act contains exemptions in religion and sport. A religious exemption applies solely to the internal appointment, training or practices within religious bodies. Exemptions apply to competitive sport in certain instances, but this is not applicable to sporting activities involving