KARACHI:
Last week, Human Rights Minister Dr Shireen Mazari inaugurated the first transgender protection centre in Islamabad. Speaking at the event, Dr Mazari said that similar protection centres will be established in other parts of the country to facilitate the protection of the transgender community.
These protection centres are being established with the aim to provide legal aid, health facilities, psychological counselling to transgender individuals. The PTI government had also previously included the transgender community in the Ehsaas programme and health card initiatives to provide them with opportunities for progress. Dr Mazari also informed that the Ministry of Human Rights had undertaken measures for the implementation of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018. The act would guarantee the protection, fundamental rights, and rehabilitation of transgender individuals.
These are laudable initiatives because the transgender community is already vulnerable to hate crimes and violence. Thus, such initiatives by the federal government demonstrates an attempt to promote inclusion and tolerance within the country. It will allow the public to understand and recognise the rights of the transgender community.
Abdul Rahman
Turbat
Published in The Express Tribune, October 19th, 2021.
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