Legal aid, 3rd gender column: A look at measures for inclusion of transgenders

PM Narendra Modi interacted with several transgender beneficiaries of the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) on Saturday. via video conferencing.

More transgender people should avail government benefits and it should be ensured that development reaches every strata of the society, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday.

The earliest known records of history mention transgender people, although the usage of the term is quite recent. In India, people from this community find mention in scriptures and even in mythologies, including the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The community is diverse, and so are its

PM Modi-led government at the Centre has implemented a slew of measures to address the needs of the transgender community and to make them an integral part of society. These measures circle essential elements such as identity recognition, education, housing, employment opportunities, skill development, and safeguarding of rights.

Be it giving Padma awards to transgender persons like Narthaki Nataraj (Transwoman), Dr. Aqsa Shaikh (Transwoman) and Vihaan Peethambar (Transman), or introducing a third gender column in the Railways’ reservation form, several initiatives have been taken to make the transgender community feel more included.

While interacting with beneficiaries of Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY) on Saturday, the Prime Minister talked to Mona, a transgender person from Chandigarh. Mona, a beneficiary of VBSY, told news agency ANI, “I felt happy after talking to the Prime Minister. I got a loan of Rs 10,000 (from the government) three years ago and I started my tea shop. Then I got a loan of Rs 20,000 and then Rs 50,000. He appreciated my work…I thank the Prime Minister.”

Tanushree, a transgender person from Nagpur, said, “It is good to see that our Prime Minister has interacted with a transgender and enquired about their future life and employment. It is very happy to see that now the government is also thinking about the transgender community and the problems faced by them, including marital life or livelihood and the government is paying attention towards it.”

LEGAL OPTIONS

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, passed by the Union Cabinet in 2019, seeks to mitigate the discrimination and abuse against the trans community.

The provisions of the Act include, non-discrimination against trans persons in educational institutions, employment and healthcare services, recognition of identity of Transgender persons and gives them the right to their identity.

The National Council for Transgender was set up in 2020 to discuss new policies concerning trans people and to address their grievances.

Apart from the legal aspects, India has taken steps in other fields for the betterment of trans people.

INCLUSIVITY

In 2019, Bharatnatyam dancer Narthaki Nataraj became the first transwoman to be conferred with the Padma Shri. Similarly, Manjamma Jogathi, who is the first transgender chairperson of Karnata Janapada Academy, received Padma Shri in 2021 for her contribution to folk dance.

Courtesy: India Today

Written By: Ashutosh Acharya

Note: This news piece was originally published in indiatoday.in and used purely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes exclusively for Human Rights