Call to do more for transgenders’ social acceptance

Shazia Marri says challenges confronting community still enormous

ISLAMABAD:

Federal Minister for Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety and Chairperson of Benazir Income Support Programme Shazia Marri has said that the challenges confronting the transgender community are still enormous and a lot needs to be done for their social acceptance, rights, and financial empowerment.

She was speaking at a seminar titled “Financial Inclusion among Transgender Community in Pakistan,” organised by Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SPDI) on Wednesday.

The minister said that BISP has exempted the condition of minimum Proxy Means Test (PMT) score for the transgender community in view of the socio-economic hardships and exclusion being faced by them. BISP has introduced Hybrid Social Protection Scheme for transgenders to educate and help them better utilising their financial resources. She reiterated the need for social awareness and acceptance for the community to encourage them to register with NADRA which will also facilitate them in accessing BISP assistance.

SDPI Executive Director Dr Abid Qaiyum Suleri said that transgenders are the marginalised among the marginalised communities. He called for bringing them into the mainstream to alleviate their economic hardships. He stressed the need for creating avenues for transparent targeted subsidies for their financial inclusion and empowerment.

He also hailed the increase in BISP stipend for transgender persons. Unless transgenders are not financially strengthened, their economic potential cannot be tapped to catalyze their social inclusion, he added.

Transgender Rights Expert at Ministry of Human Rights and Advisor at Tahafuz, Punjab Police Reem Sharif said so far 3,100 out of 5,700 transgenders have been registered with NADRA while the rest are avoiding it due to the fear of social stigma. She said that predominantly transgenders do not earn from legal sources which is a big hindrance in their way of having access to financial services. She reiterated that the transgenders demand equal respect and dignity, the right of education without discrimination, protection from harassment and sexual exploitation.

Transgender Activist and Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA) President Bindiya Rana said that the Government of Pakistan has facilitated the transgender community in getting CNICs, but the international community is not properly aware of it, which is creating additional hurdles.

She pointed out that due to a lack of awareness on Pakistan’s laws on transgenders, they are often barred from international travelling and even Haj and Umrah.

Highlighting the issues confronting the transgender community, she said that there is no designated ward in hospitals or a dedicated place in hospitals for them. Transgenders are still facing problems in accessing banking services, she added. She suggested including transgenders in census survey teams so that they might identify transgender households.

SDPI Deputy Executive Director (Policy) Dr Shafqat Munir said being born with a particular gender is beyond anyone’s choice.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23^rd, 2023.