Malappuram: The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) here on Friday ordered entrusting the custody of a 17- year-old boy, who desired to live like a woman, with a transgender social worker.
The social worker was chosen by the CWC to give the boy care and protection for a month and to produce him before the committee for review after 30 days.
The CWC issued the interim order as per section 52 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
The order was given by the CWC after interacting with the boy for four hours and based on the findings of a veteran psycho-social counsellor Mary Neethu.
The CWC found the transgender social activist Riya Isha as a fit person to give care and protection to the boy. CWC chairman P Shajesh Bhasker told Media that the boy had complained of harassment and pressure from home after he shared his desire openly with them.
The boy's aged parents and only sister opposed the move and has been hoping to transform the boy against his will and pleasure of living like a woman, he said.
According to the chairman, it was the first case of a juvenile approaching the committee with a desire to live like a woman. There could be several more juveniles who have the desire to live like the opposite sex but were suppressed by the families.
No counselling in schools or educational institutions ever comes out with such issues, which is on an increase in society, he said.