New Delhi:In view of the welfare and protection of the transgender community, the Union Home Ministry directed the states and UTs to enforce the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rule 2020 to preserve, protect and rehabilitate the community.
"The law mandates the State Government/Union Territories to take adequate steps for the welfare of the transgender community. It also said to take steps necessary for the preservation, protection and rehabilitation of a transgender person."
The Women Safety Division of the Union Home Ministry stated that under section 18 of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019, it is a punishable offence in case anyone compels or entices a transgender person to indulge in the act of forced or bonded labour other than any compulsory service for public purposes imposed by the government.
"....harms or injuries or endangers the life safety, health or well-being, whether mental or physical, of a transgender person or tends to do acts including causing physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal and emotional abuse and economic abuse," the letter undersigned by Pawan Mehta, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs stated.
The letter further stated that Rule 11 provides for adequate measures to be taken to prevent non-discrimination of transgender persons, including setting up of a Transgender Protection Cell under the charge of District Magistrate in each District and a State Level Cell under the Director General of Police, to monitor cases of offences against transgender persons and ensure timely registration, investigation and prosecution of such offences.
The MHA asked the chief secretaries of states and UTs to initiate necessary measures in terms of the Act immediately and undertake necessary sensitisation programmes for the police and prison officials.
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