ISLAMABAD:Multi-stakeholders Consultation on Developing Integrated Humanitarian Response for Transgender Community in Floods and Disasters: Protection, Inclusion and Safeguarding” will be held on Wednesday 22nd Feb.
A multi-stakeholder consultation is going to be held on Multi-stakeholders Consultation on Developing Integrated Humanitarian Response for Transgender Community in Floods and Disasters: Protection, Inclusion and Safeguarding”. The event is being organized jointly by National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) and Peace and Justice Network (PJN), a national-level organization working for peace, justice, rule of law and democracy.
The national consultation will bring together a high powered group of multiple stakeholders such as the Government of Pakistan, Parliamentarians, Representatives from UN agencies, Humanitarian organizations, transgender leaders and transgender-led organizations as well as human rights activists and a large number of civil society representatives. This group will deliberate on the policy reforms to make the entire humanitarian response paradigm inclusive of all especially transgender persons.
The transgender community in Pakistan faces multiple discriminations and layered oppression mainly due to their gender identity. This results in gross violations of their human rights by families, communities, government departments, private sector and society at large. Transgender peoples’ lived experience is that of extreme social exclusion which translates into increased vulnerability to HIV, other diseases including mental health conditions, limited access to education and employment, and exclusion from opportunities for economic and social advancement.
In addition, hatred and aggression towards a group of individuals who do not conform to social norms around gender manifest in frequent episodes of extreme violence towards transgender people, which often goes unpunished. The situation of transgender people in Pakistan further worsens during emergencies because of preexisting marginalization and exclusion.
Moreover, legal provisions, policy frameworks, humanitarian standards and protection systems which determine who is entitled to protection, aid and assistance are based on normative understandings of gender and end up excluding trans people from these services. Such was the case in the recent flood relief where the common as well as unique needs of transgender people remained a blind spot in humanitarian aid provided by both government and non-government organizations.
The absence and neglect of transgender community in humanitarian response and relief efforts underscored the urgent need for the multi-stakeholder consultation which could develop specific policy and operational guidelines related to humanitarian response which could ensure equitable access of trans people to assistance, aid and protection.
A panel discussion to devise a way forward for developing integrated humanitarian response for transgender community will be organized as well as findings of four provincial action plans will be shared for devising way forward and advocacy asks urging relevant stakeholders for policy reforms.