As Bindiya Rani, the president of the Sindh chapter of the Gender Interactive Alliance (GIA), so beautifully puts it, “People kept asking me what the outcomes of the elections would be
I strongly feel that I won the day I submitted my nomination papers
That was my victory
” This step was truly a highly significant moment for the transgender population of Pakistan, who was previously denied access to basic education and healthcare, and had been living on the margins of the Pakistani society as entertainers, beggars and sex workers
Last year, the Sindh government actually took a step further within this movement and gave government jobs to three transgender people in Karachi
This just went on to prove how the Sindh minister for social welfare, women development and special education had been actively involved in complying with the decision of the Supreme Court as well as fighting for the rights of this mistreated minority in Pakistan
What amazes me the most about this movement is, that these individuals have, against all odds, fought for their rights as well as secured themselves within this society
Pakistan is not the only country that has been mistreating this particular segment of its population
It has been happening over the past few years, in almost all South Asian countries
Nevertheless, I believe it is not only the West that has been experiencing this new cultural transgender revolution
The Supreme Court of India has also recognised them as a third gender, and have enjoined upon them all fundamental rights, as well as special rights to education and jobs
Padmini Prakash, 31, has recently been hired as India’s first transgender news anchor and is currently working in the state of Tamil Nadu
Amid this huge revolution within South Asia, I felt a little disappointed last Monday, after hearing Punjab Assembly’s decision not to give the transgender community a separate quota for jobs
The minorities minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu mentioned that the transgender community can compete on open merit as their registered number is not enough for them to qualify for the facility of having a separate quota
I strongly believe that even though the Supreme Court has passed certain laws regarding transgender persons, it is our moral duty to fight for their rights towards education as well as job opportunities
This movement is one essential step towards breaking free from the social stigmas of our country, and could potentially affect about 500,000 transgender people living in Pakistan
Zehrish, a member of the GIA, a transgender activist and a health worker, pointed out earlier in 2013 how her appearance caused her to face severe discrimination within her educational institution
She has completed her MA from the University of Karachi and has received multiple distinctions in her school life
This, in itself, just goes to show how capable and strong these individuals are
With a little bit of empathy, we could make life for them easier in so many ways
Educational institutions, workplaces, as well as the people of Pakistan in general, need to start owning these individuals as regular citizens
Instead of turning a blind eye to their presence, we need to educate our community as well as the upcoming generations to not out-rightly reject the transgender population
Furthermore, Punjab needs to stand up for their rights at this stage, as well as enforce the Supreme Court’s ruling regarding a job quota for them
In case the government is not able to reserve the right of a mere two percent quota for them in government institutions, we need to take this responsibility to reserve a quota for them in our workplaces
There are many educated transgender individuals who should be employed – they deserve a chance at improving their standard of living as much as anyone else does
If they are not educated, they should be trained at different companies so as to acquire a skill that may give them the opportunity to work
Without this quota, and being the marginalised community that they are, it will become extremely difficult for a transgender person to secure a job
Not only would this situation lead to more social evils, but Pakistan could be losing out on a major sector of its population, which could have the potential to contribute positively to our nation
If we do not empower these individuals today, they may never be able to secure their rights, and may be forced back into becoming outcasts within this nation, with little access to basic human rights
Date: | 23-Feb-2015 | Reference: | View Original Link |
---|