PASIGHAT, 17 Jul: The East Siang District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) organised an awareness programme for the transgender community on the occasion of the International Day of Justice here on Monday.
The programme was aimed at creating awareness about the legal rights of transgender people, and to propagate gender equality.
Addressing the gathering, DLSA Chairman Tageng Padoh said: “It is a fact that there are three genders in our society, and that social acceptance should be given to the third gender, as well.”
“Along with acceptance,” he said, “the attitude and reaction of the society is also important.”
“One should not fear to come out and express oneself and profess one’s identity boldly and fearlessly in the society with pride,” he added.
Dibrugarh (Assam)-based SIPE Law College assistant professor Imna Sangla Imsong encouraged the members of the third gender and said that they should never feel discouraged.
“There has always been specific victimisation of women, children and people from underprivileged communities. Despite being careful, following societal norms – just by the virtue of one’s class, gender identification – one becomes a victim,” she said.
Imsong said that, “to live a dignified life, cooperation and support of the police, societies, and bodies like DLSAs are required.”
She urged the participants to organise more seminars and awareness programmes to create awareness among the general public.
Advocate Nyame Dabi spoke on the rights of transgender people, the Transgender Protection Act, 2019, and the NALSA versus Union of India judgment.
Dabi informed the participants that the apex court has said that there should not be any discrimination on the basis of gender, and it is also enshrined in Article 15 of the Constitution of India.
She said that, after the passage of the landmark judgment in NALSA vs Union of India, the Transgender Persons Act was passed in 2019 and the Act guarantees the right to education, job opportunities, residence, reservation, etc, for transgender persons, and that nobody can dictate a person’s lifestyle and their way of dressing.
She further said that “choosing and expressing one’s gender is a fundamental right.”
Advocate Sunny Tayeng conducted a session on free legal aid under the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, and various schemes and legal problems/impediments faced by the third gender people, and their redressal.
She made the participants aware of the various schemes and provisions available under the Arunachal Pradesh Victim Compensation Scheme, 2011.
She also educated the participants on the procedure of filing an FIR, “arrest, detention and bail.”
She addressed the problems faced by the community, like getting transgender certificate, Aadhaar card, ration card, etc.
Tayeng said that she will file a representation to the district magistrate for implementation of various provisions of the Transgender Persons Act, 2019.
During the interactive session, the participants informed that they have not availed transgender certificates from the district magistrate and were not aware of the provisions available under the Transgender Persons Act, 2019. (DIPRO)