Pakistan’s Parliament passed a law on Wednesday, 9 May, that guarantees the fundamental right to gender identity and expression and bans discrimination against those from the transgender community.
In a move that activists termed ‘historic,’ the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2018, was passed by Parliament in Islamabad with an overwhelming majority, The Express Tribune reported.
The law accords Pakistani citizens the right to self-identify as male, female or a blend of both genders, and to have that identity registered on all official documents like passport and driver's license, among others. It also bans discrimination in public places like schools, work spaces, public transportation, and doctors’ offices.
"I thought that this would never be achieved in my lifetime, but I am fortunate to have seen my own Parliament pass this Bill," veteran Pakistani transgender activist Bindiya Rana told Al Jazeera.
This comes at a time when Pakistan’s transpersons are becoming more visible. The country now has a transgender news anchor, 21-year-old Marvia Malik. Many hope the new law would pave the way for more such persons to step forward.
Pakistan's total transgender population reported in the country's sixth Census in 2017 was 10,418, reported Dawn. Facing decades of discrimination, Pakistani transgender citizens find themselves vulnerable and forced into begging, sex work or dancing to survive.
Last month, the murder of a transgender in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province by a group of men led to international condemnation.
Trans Action Pakistan, an organisation that addresses the needs and issues of the community, accused the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government of completely failing to protect the community in the province, saying that 56 transgender citizens have been killed since 2015.
(With inputs from Al Jazeera, Dawn, and The Express Tribune)
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