Rajya Sabha to today take up bill for protection, welfare of transgenders

india

Updated: Nov 20, 2019 10:59 IST

Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thawarchand Gehlot will move on Wednesday in the Rajya Sabha a bill that aims to provide for protection of rights of transgenders and their welfare.

The Lok Sabha has passed ‘The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019’ and the upper house will take it up for discussion and passage.

The bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 19 and the lower house of Parliament passed it on August 5.

The statement of objects and reasons of the bill reads: “Transgender community is one of the most marginalised communities in the country because they do not fit into the general categories of gender of male or female. Consequently, they face problems ranging from social exclusion to discrimination, lack of education facilities, unemployment, lack of medical facilities and so on.”

The Supreme Court through its order on April 15, 2014, passed in the case of National Legal Services Authority vs Union of India, directed the central government and state governments to take various steps for the welfare of transgender community.

The court also asked the governments to treat transgenders as a third gender for the purpose of safeguarding their rights under Part III of the Constitution and other laws made by Parliament and the state legislature.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2019 seeks to define the expression “transgender person”, prohibit discrimination against them, confer right upon these persons to be recognised as such, and a right to self-perceived gender identity, make provisions for issue of certificate of identity to transgender persons.

The bill also seeks to provide that no establishment shall discriminate against transgender persons in matters relating to employment, recruitment, promotion and other related issues and provide for grievance redressal mechanism in each establishment.

It calls for establishment of a National Council for Transgender Persons and provide punishment for contraventions of the provisions of the proposed legislation.