The Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches of the Argentine Republic (ACIERA) has expressed concern after an Argentine appeals court temporarily suspended the implementation of Emergency Decree (DNU) 62/2025, which bans hormone treatments for children under 18.
In a statement released to the media, ACIERA said it respects "the institutions of the Republic and, in particular, the independence of the Judiciary," and therefore would not comment on the legal proceedings themselves. At the same time, it said any decision affecting "the life, health, and physical, psychological and emotional well-being of children and adolescents" deserves careful consideration by both the government and society.
ACIERA said numerous medical experts and scientific publications have warned about the potential risks associated with certain hormone treatments when administered during childhood and adolescence, while physical, emotional and psychological development is still underway.
The evangelical alliance also noted that Argentina has a legal obligation to uphold the best interests of the child, a principle recognized by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which was incorporated into Argentine law through Law 23,849 and given constitutional status under Article 75, Section 22 of the National Constitution. It also cited Law 26,061 on the Comprehensive Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents as part of the country's legal framework for protecting children.
"We believe every public policy decision in this area must unequivocally prioritize the comprehensive protection of children, safeguarding their health, development and fundamental rights, especially when interventions with permanent or difficult-to-reverse effects are involved," the alliance said.
ACIERA also urged that the issue be addressed through Argentina's established legal process and called on Congress to amend the Gender Identity Law to explicitly prohibit "surgical and chemical sex-change procedures for children and adolescents." The organization said such a reform would align Argentina with policies adopted by countries including the United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland.
What DNU 62/2025 does
Emergency Decree (DNU) 62/2025, signed by President Javier Milei and published on Feb. 6, 2025, amended Article 11 of Argentina's Gender Identity Law (Law 26,743) so that only adults 18 and older may receive hormone treatments or undergo surgical procedures intended to align their bodies with their self-identified gender.
The Milei administration said the decree was necessary because of ongoing international scientific debate over the benefits and risks of these procedures for children and argued that stronger safeguards were needed to protect children and adolescents from interventions that could have irreversible effects.
Before the decree took effect, Article 11 of the Gender Identity Law allowed children to access hormone treatments and surgical procedures under the conditions and safeguards established by existing law.
The court's injunction
The injunction was issued after the appeals court granted a request for preliminary relief filed by the Argentine LGBT+ Federation (FALGBT+), which is challenging the constitutionality of the decree.
According to Tiempo Argentino, the court concluded at this preliminary stage that the executive branch had not sufficiently demonstrated the necessity and urgency required to amend a law passed by Congress through an emergency decree. The judges also found that the decree replaced a system of case-by-case evaluation with a blanket ban.
The injunction did not rule on whether the decree is constitutional. Instead, it temporarily blocked enforcement while the courts consider the case.
As a result, the previous version of Article 11 of the Gender Identity Law has been temporarily reinstated until a final ruling is issued. National media outlets, including Noticias Argentinas, also reported on the court's decision.
The organizations challenging the decree argue that it limits rights protected under the Gender Identity Law and contend that such a significant policy change should not have been made through an emergency decree. Those arguments will be considered as the case moves forward.
Similar debates in Europe
In its statement, ACIERA pointed to recent policy changes in the United Kingdom, Sweden and Finland.
In Finland, the Council for Choices in Health Care (PALKO) updated its recommendations in 2020, stating that psychosocial support should be the primary treatment for minors experiencing gender dysphoria, with medical interventions reserved for carefully selected cases.
In Sweden, the National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) revised its clinical guidelines in 2022, recommending that puberty blockers and hormone treatments be limited to exceptional cases because of uncertainty about their risks and benefits.
In the United Kingdom, the independent review led by pediatrician Hilary Cass, known as the Cass Review, concluded in 2024 that evidence supporting the routine use of puberty blockers for minors was limited. Following the report, the National Health Service (NHS) revised its policies governing these treatments.
The issue remains the subject of legal, medical and ethical debate in Argentina and abroad. Until Argentina's courts issue a final ruling, the country's previous legal framework governing treatment for children will remain in effect. ACIERA said any future policy should prioritize "the best interests of the child" and protect children's health and development.
Original reporting by Diario Cristiano, Christian Daily International's Spanish edition
