- Advertisement -
PESHAWAR, Nov 27 (APP): A standardized form has been launched to facilitate registration of transgender community of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Social Welfare Department with the objective of enhancing the access of marginalized community to social protection program, relief measures and other government led welfare initiatives.
The launching of Standardized Form was a joint effort by Blue Veins organization, Social Welfare Department, National Commissioner for Human Rights (NCHR) and Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI).
The launching ceremony was attended by Umara Khan, Additional Secretary Social Welfare, Rizwanullah Shah, Provincial Coordinator National Commissioner for Human Rights (NCHR), Shahid Khan, Deputy Director NADRA, Qamar Naseem, Programme Manager, Blue Veins, Ms. Farzan, Arzoo and Sobia from transgender community.
District Officers of Social Welfare Department attended the ceremony virtually from different districts of the province.
Speaking on the occasion, Qamar Naseem apprised participants that registration of transgender with Social Welfare department will help in generating the data of trans community in the province.
He said currently there are only 173 number of transgender who have obtained officially designated X cards while the number of registered transgender with Social Welfare department is 450.
Contrary to the registered number of transgender, the strength of the community in the province is between 50,000 to 70,000.
Due to complications in registration with NADRA for issuance of X cards, the community is avoiding it inclusion in official data, Qamar added.
He said the standardized registration with Social Welfare department is a step towards bringing them into to official record, making it easy for their access to social welfare programme and other initiatives taken by government for benefit of the community.
The forms are also circulated to all the district officers of Social Welfare Department for registration of transgender in different parts of the province.
Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Coordinator NCHR Rizwanullah Shah said transgender community is facing numerous problems from security point of view to lack of livelihood sources, health issuance, social acceptance and others.
Data collection through standardized registration will help a lot formulation of policies for all the transgender community for resolution of their problems.
He said majority of transgender lack identity documents and could not avail welfare schemes announced by government and even by private organizations.
Deputy Director NADRA, Shahid Khan appreciated the step and offered transgender to get themselves registered with NADRA for availing government welfare schemes for the community at national level.
He also offered services from NADRA for registration of transgender even at their homes and deras which they live in groups.
Additional Secretary Social Welfare, Umara Khan said objective of the initiative is to provide opportunity to transgender community of availing from government schemes by bringing themselves into official system.
Trans representatives including Farzana, Arzoo and Sobia also appreciated the initiative taken by Social Welfare Department with cooperation of partner organizations.
They expressed the hope that such initiatives will help them availing schemes including two percent quota in jobs and other welfare schemes.