Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) issued First ‘Equal Opportunity Policy for Transgender Persons’

Posted 24 Feb 2024

2 min read

Policy has been issued in pursuance of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020.

Key highlights of the Policy
- Scope: Applicable to all employees of MoSJE and its operations.
  - It will act as guiding document for business partner workforce, interns, trainees, etc.
- Objective: To create an atmosphere ensuring fair treatment of transgender individuals, free from discrimination, harassment, and bias, while establishing robust grievance redress mechanism.
- Policy Statements
  - Non-discrimination and enabling work environment: Prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in recruitment, appointment, promotion, etc.
  - Privacy and Confidentiality: Non-disclosure of gender identity without explicit consent.
  - Access to Facilities: Ensure infrastructure facilities (such as Unisex toilets) and amenities (such as hygiene products) are provided to transgender persons.
  - Grievance Redressal Mechanism: To redress instances of experienced discrimination or harassment based on gender identity.

Challenges faced by Transgender Persons: Social stigma and discrimination, sub-optimal access to basic amenities like healthcare, education, etc., vulnerable to physical, verbal, and sexual abuse, etc.

National Council for Transgender Persons: Established under Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.
Government Initiatives
- Garima Greh: Shelter Homes for Transgender Persons
- National Portal for Transgender Persons: To obtain certificate of identity and identity card without any physical interface.
- NALSA Judgment (2014): Transgender persons were legally recognised as the ‘third gender’.

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