The Pink Alliance, one of the city's largest LGBT rights group, is to appeal to the UN Committee Against Torture next week over the Governments position on gender recognition.

In Hong Kong the government recognises people's referred gender only after they have undergone full realignment surgery.

As this process is painful, lengthy, expensive and can include sterilisation, it said the UN's special rapporteur on torture had recognized that such requirements might constitute torture or inhumane treatment.

This year a report on Human Rights by the UN stated: "United Nations mechanisms have called upon States to legally recognize transgender persons' preferred gender, without abusive requirements, including sterilization, forced medical treatment or divorce."

Unable to change official gender without going through this process means transgender people face awkward and embarrassing questions when using travel documents, applying for credit cards, or opening bank accounts.

Billy Leung, the alliance's outreach and advocacy officer, said: "We hope the committee will urge the government to abolish the surgical requirement [and] take full measures so trans people do not have to face such treatment ... to enjoy their legal rights in their preferred gender," according to the South China Morning Post.

In January last year, the government formed a working group on gender recognition, which is considering what measures might be needed to protect transgender people's rights, though it is yet to release ay findings.