The Ministry of Social Justice and empowerment has recognized the National Council for Transgender Persons, a demand underneath the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. 

A notification by the Ministry on August twenty one declared that the Social Justice Minister would be the chairman of the Council and members would come with officers of the Ministries of Health and Family Welfare, Home Affairs, Housing and urban Affairs, Minority Affairs, Human Resources Development, Rural Development and Labour and Employment, the Department of Legal Affairs, the Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare and therefore the Niti Aayog. 

Aim:

To mainstream the transgender community’s concerns, focusing on livelihood issues as well as to raise awareness about the trans community, so that transpersons are accepted within families and in the larger society.

To ensure that transgender welfare boards are set up in all States and essential needs of the transgender community, like housing, food, healthcare and education are met. 

Functions:

●      Advising the Central government on the formulation of policies, programmes, legislation and projects with respect to transgender persons. 

●      Monitoring and evaluating the impact of policies and programms designed for achieving equality and full participation of transgender persons. 

●      Reviewing and coordinating the activities of all the departments. 

●      Redressing grievances of transgender persons. 

●      Performing such other functions as prescribed by the Centre.


Composition:

Its chairperson will be the Union Minister of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. 

It will also consist of:

●      Representatives from five states or Union Territories (one each from the north, south, east, west and northeast regions), on a rotational basis. 

●      Five members of the transgender community (one each from the north, south, east, west and northeast regions).

●      The tenure of the community members shall be three years. 

●      Representatives from 10 central departments. The council will have joint secretary-level members from the Ministries of Health, Home, Minority Affairs, Education, Rural Development, Labour and Law. 

●      In addition, there will be a member from the Department of Pensions (Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions), NITI Aayog, National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Women.

 “My main aim will be to mainstream the trans community’s concerns, focusing on livelihood issues as well as to raise awareness about the trans community, so that transpersons are accepted within families and in the larger society. I look forward to working with the government to achieve this,” said Reshma Prasad, founder of Dostana Safar, a Patna-based community organization and a member of the newly constituted council.

R Subramanyam, Union social justice secretary, said: “The transgender welfare board would guide the government in welfare schemes for them. This is a landmark event.”

To Download the Official Notification, Click Here

This news has been reported by Yashasvi.