Sindh Approves Pakistan’s First-Ever Education Policy for Transgender
Sindh Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah presided over a conference that approved Pakistan’s first-ever “Transgender Education Policy” draft.
According to an official statement, the policy suggests including a separate “transgender” category in addition to the male and female selections on school and college application forms. A job quota for transgender people in teaching positions is also included. The cabinet will shortly review and approve the proposal.
According to data from the 2023 census, there are 20,331 transgender people in Pakistan, with 4,222 of them living in Sindh, according to the conference. But according to an NGO, the real number might be closer to 250,000. Furthermore, according to USAID data, 40% of transgender people do not have access to any kind of schooling, and 42% have low literacy.
Minister Shah emphasised the major obstacles that transgender people encounter in the classroom, citing discrimination, abuse, and exclusion from society. They find it difficult to afford education due to financial constraints and a lack of employment options, and they are frequently deterred from continuing their education by worries about harassment in educational settings.
Shah also pointed out that there isn’t a curriculum specifically designed for transgender pupils. With special schools and non-formal education training facilities, the new policy seeks to provide a nurturing learning environment. Alongside steps to create anti-harassment safeguards for transgender students in educational institutions, skill development initiatives are also incorporated to enhance results.
Support groups will be set up in schools to assist transgender pupils in coping with social pressures, and public awareness campaigns will be started to advance equal rights and opportunities. Mentorship initiatives that highlight successful transgender people as role models to encourage others to seek education are also included in the strategy. Facilitating education for transgender people would lead to respectable jobs, Minister Shah stressed.
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