Four years ago, the SC decreed equal rights and civil liberties for transgender citizens, including the right to inheritance and equal job opportunities.
The KP Assembly passed a resolution seeking voting rights for the province’s transgender community.
PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar said:” It will be the first time that transgender [people] will be given the chance to be important segments of society”.
However, details of the proposed transgender rights bill were not discussed, and the NCHR was not prepared to brief the committee on the measures taken to mitigate the problems facing transgender individuals.
The committee meeting also discussed computerised identity cards for transgender citizens. Senator Babar likened the situation to the National Database and Registration Authority’s (Nadra) initiative to issue CNICs to children with unknown parentage, saying: “If Nadra makes the effort, the matter of issuing CNICs to transgender [people] can also be settled”.
Awami National Party Senator Sitara Ayaz requested that representatives from the transgender community be invited to the next Senate session, when all members of parliament and the media are present, to send a message of good will.
Sourced from agencies, feature image courtesy: hrw.org
