A PEOPLE STILL WAITING TO MOVE OUT OF THE MARGINS

Transgender individuals continue to face barriers to acceptance, education, employment and health care

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International Transgender Day of Visibility, which is observed on March 31, highlights the challenges that transgender individuals face. Despite legal advancements such as the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, social stigma, economic exclusion and discrimination persist. There are barriers to education, employment and health care. Workplace biases and financial discrimination hinder economic empowerment, while bullying and unsupportive environments restrict education. Health-care systems fail to address transgender-specific needs, worsening marginalisation. True inclusion requires strong policy implementation, anti-discrimination enforcement, and societal change. Governments, businesses and communities must ensure financial inclusion, equal opportunities and support, fostering empowerment beyond mere visibility.

Legal recognition versus ground reality

Weak implementation of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, hampers access to welfare schemes. As of December 2023, the National Portal for Transgender Persons received 24,115 identity card applications. However, only 15,800 certificates were issued, with over 3,200 pending beyond the mandated 30-day period. In Delhi,

despite a transgender population of approximately 4,200 (2011 Census), only 23 identity cards had been issued by April 2022. The Act's bureaucratic certification process delays recognition by contrasting global standards of self-determination. It also lacks provisions for addressing police harassment, family rejection, and social exclusion.