Pakistan

Raising their voices: Civil society protests violence against transgenders

Demands action against staff of HMC for criminal negligence in the death of Dewani

Our Correspondent September 29, 2016

The protestors demanded for a comprehensive protection policy for the transgender community to counter the violence and stigma attached to them. PHOTO: NNI

ISLAMABAD: Members of civil society members along with human rights activists staged a protest outside the National Press Club on Wednesday evening against the violence on members of the transgender community.

The demonstration was organised by Forum for Dignity Initiatives (FDI) Pakistan a research and advocacy forum working for the human rights of gender and sexual minorities focusing on transgender community rights.

They strongly condemned the increasing violence and discrimination against transgender community in Pakistan, particularly those in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).

The demonstrators chanted slogans against the discrimination and violence faced by the transgender community.

They said that violence, torture and sexual assaults against the transgender community continue to be reported frequently in K-P even after the recent murder of a person who was transgender, Alisha.

Measures taken by the K-P government to stop this violence had been ineffective.

The protestors strongly condemned the death of Dewani a 24-year-old person who was a transgender who allegedly succumbed to injuries owing to criminal negligence Hayatabad Medical Complex’s (HMC) staff who failed to provide her with timely treatment and care.

Dewani had tested positive for HIV/AIDS and was subsequently thrown out of the hospital and forced to live near a garbage dump. She was brought back to the hospital after human rights activists raised the matter on social media due to which Dewani received some treatment at HMC but it was too late as her body was full of sores and died on September 24, 2016.

The protestors demanded for a comprehensive protection policy for the transgender community to counter the violence and stigma attached to them. They also demanded inquiry against HMC administration and doctors who were responsible for this negligence.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2016.