PESHAWAR:
The transgender community is one such group that is constantly violated, harassed and at times even killed due to the stigma attached to their identity. It is appalling that they are denied basic necessities such as housing, loans and education and, as a result, are left to fend for themselves. Most resort to professions like dancing, prostitution and begging in order to make ends meet. Even though laws have been set in place for their protection and safety, implementation is yet to be seen.
In 2020, numerous incidents of transgender women being mistreated and killed were highlighted on social media, with a transgender march also taking place outside of the press club. Perhaps this is what finally convinced the government to act. The subsequent launch of the Sehat Sahulat Programme (SSP) serves as a beacon of hope as the initiative aims to cater to the medical needs of the deprived community. However, the question arises as to who will ensure the implementation of the programme? There is already a loop that has been identified which can potentially prevent many members of the community from reaping the health programmes benefits — majority of transgender persons are not holders of CNICs, and many of those who are have written their genders incorrectly making their cards unusable.
Many such programmes have been approved in the past, but have failed to effectively facilitate or empower the community. The message is therefore clear: we should begin by eradicating the stigma attached to transgender persons. Awareness is another huge concern since many transgender people are unaware of the basic procedures of obtaining a CNIC and usually spend their lifetimes without proper identification. If we begin to recognise their rights as citizens, they will be able to lead ordinary lives like all of us. It is time for us to stop treating trans persons as second-class citizens and give them the rights they deserve as human beings.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 8th, 2021.
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