Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Human Rights and Women Empowerment, Mushaal Hussein Mullick has affirmed the government's unwavering commitment to ensure the provision of fundamental rights for the transgender community at the grassroots level nationwide. She delivered this commitment during the concluding ceremony of a workshop on wellness and communication development for non-binary and transgender individuals. The workshop was a collaborative effort between Dareecha and AQ Khan Foundation. The workshop was also addressed by Ms. Sabien Hussein Mullick (Focal Person to SAPM) and Professor Zafar Iqbal (Advisor to SAPM on Art/Culture and Youth). Representatives from Dareecha organization, including Ms. Jameela, Sheela, Usman, and Aksh, shed light on the challenges confronted by the transgender community. Mushaal revealed that more than 0.3 million transgenders were officially registered with the relevant government department. She further announced the government's strategic initiative, a nationwide mass campaign named 'Dukhtar,' designed to educate the public about gender identity. She said that the comprehensive mass campaign would not only focus on awareness but also target the protection, employment opportunities, and skills development programs tailored for the transgender community. Mushaal underscored that transgender persons are unequivocally entitled to all fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan. She highlighted Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018, that not only recognized but safeguarded the rights of transgender individuals, encompassing inheritance, voting, education, employment, healthcare, assembly, access to public places, and the right to hold public office. Mushaal emphasized the indispensable role of the transgender community in the country's development, highlighting their significant contributions across all levels and fields of society. She said that the 100-day plan initiated under her leadership had provisions on the promotion of the rights of transgender individuals by advocating equal treatment under the law. “The 100-day plan encompasses the task of confronting discriminatory laws and practices which hinder transgender individuals from accessing essential services like healthcare and education, she added.” Mushaal announced the government's initiative to establish district-level committees dedicated to collecting comprehensive data on transgenders. She emphasized that this data collection would be instrumental in facilitating efforts for transgender persons’ education, healthcare, employment, social security, social media training, vocational training, and various other opportunities. She said that the goal is to empower the transgender community and enable them to become productive and economically independent citizens of the country. “We all are human beings and have the right to do every positive act for the development and promotion of the society and state”, she added. The Special Assistant to the Prime Minister commended Dareecha organization for their efforts in advancing the development of the transgender community.
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