India’s Kerala state is set to become the first in the country to provide transgender people with their own separate prison accommodation according to plans announced this week.

Viyyur Central Jail in Thrissur will be the first to get a special prison block just for transgender inmates and there are plans to roll the initiative out to other prisons in the state.

Kerala’s state prison department says there are around 40 transgender prisoners across its 52 prisons which house a population of around 8,000 offenders.

Transgender prisoners are currently placed in jails depending on the gender they were assigned at birth, exposing them to sexual violence and other forms of harassment.

Kerala state director general of jails Loknath Behera told the Hindustan Times that transgender prisoners should not have to fear living openly in prison.

‘Their requirements are different. We have to be more sensitive towards their problems. Such a move will help them to come forward and identify themselves without any taboo,’ Behera said.

‘We are sure such dedicated blocks will help end some of their miseries. We will protect their privacy also.’

Special officer in charge of Viyyur Central Jail K Anil Kumar said the transgender prison block would would be placed outside the rest of the prison complex to ensure the transgender prisoners’ safety.

‘If a separate block is built within the complex other prisoners will be able to identify them easily. It will pose more problems for them,’ Kumar said.

India is not the first country to provide special prison accommodation for transgender inmates.

Italian authorities announced plans for a transgender prison in Pozzale in 2010.