Pakistan’s Parliament Approved Transgender Rights Law

Pakistan’s parliament passed a transgender rights bill on Wednesday that will guarantee the basic rights of Pakistani transgender citizens to have their gender identity officially recognized on various government documents.
According to a report, if the bill became law it will allow citizens to choose their gender identity, and to have it reflected on all official documents, including driver’s licenses and passports.
The bill, passed by MPs in the capital Islamabad, also prohibits discrimination in public places, including schools, hospitals and on public transport.
The measure also says that transgender people cannot be deprived of the right to vote or run for office. It lays out their rights to inheritance, in accordance with their chosen gender.
The bill separates transgender people into three categories like intersex which known in Pakistan as “Khunsa”, eunuchs who are assigned male at birth but undergo genital castration and transgender men or women.
Human rights activists have praised the bill for helping to pave the way for greater acceptance and inclusivity at a time when members of the trans community continue face disproportionate violence and discrimination.
“I thought that this would never be achieved in my lifetime, but I am fortunate to have seen my own parliament pass this bill,” said Veteran transgender activist Bindiya Rana to Al Jazeera.
> Shatabdi Sarker Poushi