Reclaiming space: From Victimhood to Agency

Society has to change attitude towards transgenders and Haijra community too;

Dr. Santosh, practicing doctor and activist demands of govt to ensure equal rights for his clan besides women

On second day of the conference Dr Santosh demanded equal rights for transgenders in Pakistan and India focussing especially on right to gender identity and education here on Friday.

Dr. Santosh Kumar Giri, a transgender is secretary of an organization named ‘KOLKATA RISTA’ from India working for equality of the transgender said talking exclusively to INFN that we (the transgenders and haijras need equal rights and we want to be named as well because every person is born equal so this way we should also be given a specific category of transgender like male and female.

“We are working on the gender issue for quite long but I started practicing as a doctor since 2003 by joining an organization to enable haijras for livelihood, able to stay with dignity and looking for south Asia consultation while putting pressure on the government to implement bill on the embalmment to this cornered community.”

“We are here in Pakistan the three days to bring the stakeholders on the board giving awareness about the issue of violence against women, transgender and haijras. In both Pakistan and India we are treated the same way. People make fun of us, ridicule us, and debase us by using different words before saying ‘Masha-Allah’ and then start laughing on us. I believe in humanity, so I chose to be a practicing doctor and activist.”

“We are also spreading awareness among the transgender community here and are trying to enable them to learn skills like reading, art, crafts and music and whatever skill they know about. The schooling of member of this community is required as it is the very basic right of which they had been deprived for so long.

The government and the civil society should also work for the betterment of the haijra community which has always been forgotten,” he added.

He said that the Ministry of human rights should bring them on the mainstream level giving them opportunity to lead a life of dignity and respect. There should also be a public discussion for empowering them.

He said if we are not given the opportunity of schooling and education then how is it possible for us to be equal in the society? We are forbidden to attend schools. We should be given gender identity first and then we will go for other rights.

He said, “I myself feel that I should be given opportunity but unfortunately we don’t have such rights in South Asia. There are other countries where haijras are given right to vote and others as well but in South Asia it is still a far cry.”

“I request the government of Pakistan to understand the rights of the transgenders. I would also like to give a message to the Pakistan’s transgender friends to come out and know about their rights and we should also establish our own dignity in the society. You should stop begging and join the mainstream while getting education and start doing jobs in whichever field they have talent,” he said.