BackKarnataka approves policy to safeguard rights of transgenders
The Karnataka policy states that the community should be called transgenders and not third gender
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Bengaluru: The Karnataka cabinet on Thursday approved a policy to define, identify, certify and safeguard the rights of transgenders living in the state.
“These sexual minorities are facing a lot of problems and atrocities for their survival like insecurity, sexual discrimination, social discrimination, insults, anxiety, suicidal tendencies. Therefore to bring them to mainstream of the society and provide them a secured life, this policy has been framed," T.B.Jayachandra, law and parliamentary affairs minister of Karnataka, said.
The policy was mandated after the Supreme Court recognized transgenders as a third gender in April 2015.
The Karnataka policy also states that the community should be called transgenders and not third gender.
According to the 2011 census, India is home to around 487,000 transgenders in India; over 20,000 of them are in Karnataka, whose government has launched Mythri, under which transgenders are paid a monthly pension of Rs500.
The policy will aim to sensitise parents, teachers, students, doctors, police and other sections of the society to ensure transgenders are treated with dignity.
The new policy will be rolled out in a phased manner, It will include scholarships, health care and social security benefits.
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