Policy for protection of transgender persons demanded

Published July 6, 2017
TransAction, Blue Veins demand early approval, enforcement of draft policy for protection of transgender rights in KP. — File
TransAction, Blue Veins demand early approval, enforcement of draft policy for protection of transgender rights in KP. — File

PESHAWAR: The TransAction Alliance and Blue Veins have demanded the early approval and enforcement of the draft policy for the protection of the transgender persons’ rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Blue Veins programme coordinator Qamar Naseem told reporters at the Peshawar Press Club on Wednesday that a special committee, including transgender activists and civil society representatives, had drafted the policy for the transgender persons’ protection and submitted it to the social welfare department for review and approval, which had been pending for a long time.

He said if that policy was implemented, KP would be the first province to do so.

Accompanied by TTA president Farzana Jan, the Blue Veins representative appreciated the government for showing interest in the resolution of problems facing transgender persons in the province and said KP was the first province to notify a special committee for the rights of transgender persons

He said transgender persons were socially marginalised in the country and were denied basic rights.

“The transgender community’s members are publicly ridiculed and are excluded from the society. They are also subjected to discrimination and humiliation by the police and medical authorities as well,” he said.

Mr Naseem said as the government didn’t ensure the protection of transgender persons, many of them became beggars or sex workers and thus, exposing themselves to violence. He said the proposed policy would ensure the introduction of the best international practices on legal gender recognition.

Published in Dawn, July 6th, 2017

Opinion

Editorial

Smog hazard
Updated 05 Nov, 2024

Smog hazard

The catastrophe unfolding in Lahore is a product of authorities’ repeated failure to recognise environmental impact of rapid urbanisation.
Monetary policy
05 Nov, 2024

Monetary policy

IN an aggressive move, the State Bank on Monday reduced its key policy rate by a hefty 250bps to 15pc. This is the...
Cultural power
05 Nov, 2024

Cultural power

AS vital modes of communication, art and culture have the power to overcome social and international barriers....
Disregarding CCI
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Disregarding CCI

The failure to regularly convene CCI meetings means that the process of democratic decision-making is falling apart.
Defeating TB
04 Nov, 2024

Defeating TB

CONSIDERING the fact that Pakistan has the fifth highest burden of tuberculosis in the world as per the World Health...
Ceasefire charade
Updated 04 Nov, 2024

Ceasefire charade

The US talks of peace, while simultaneously arming and funding their Israeli allies, are doomed to fail, and are little more than a charade.