ISLAMABAD – Special Assistant to the Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment, Mushaal Hussein Mullick, expressed the government’s strong commitment to promoting the rights of the transgender community at the grassroots level across Pakistan. During a workshop on wellness and communication development for non-binary and transgender individuals, Mushaal announced the government’s strategic initiative called ‘Dukhtar,’ a nationwide mass campaign aimed at raising awareness and ensuring protection, employment opportunities, and skills development programs for the transgender community.
Mushaal highlighted the significance of transgender individuals’ contributions to the country’s development and emphasized their entitlement to all fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. She underlined that the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, recognizes and safeguards the rights of transgender individuals, including inheritance, voting, education, employment, healthcare, assembly, access to public places, and the right to hold public office.
Notably, more than 0.3 million transgenders are officially registered with the relevant government department. However, to further empower the transgender community, Mushaal announced the government’s plan to establish district-level committees dedicated to gathering comprehensive data on transgenders. This data collection will play a crucial role in facilitating efforts related to education, healthcare, employment, social security, social media training, vocational training, and other opportunities for transgender persons.
The ultimate goal of these initiatives is to enable the transgender community to become productive and economically independent citizens of the country. Mushaal commended the Dareecha organization for its efforts in advancing the development and well-being of the transgender community.
With regards to the 100-day plan initiated under Mushaal’s leadership, discriminatory laws and practices hindering transgender individuals from accessing essential services like healthcare and education will be confronted. The plan aims to advocate equal treatment under the law for transgender individuals.
The government’s unwavering commitment to empowering and supporting the transgender community at the grassroots level demonstrates positive progress towards achieving inclusivity and equality in Pakistani society. By recognizing and safeguarding the rights of transgender individuals, the government is taking significant strides towards promoting a more tolerant and inclusive society for all its citizens.
