Transgender Council to focus on education, says activist

The central government has formed the National Council for Transgender to ensure legal protection for the community. The Council came into being after its announcement on August 21.

Madurai (Tamil Nadu): When violence against transgender people is on the rise across India, Gopi Shankar, the representatives of southern region of the National Council for Transgender said that time has come to focus on education and rights of the third genders.

Shankar, an Indian equal rights and Indigenous rights activist, made sure that none from the transgender will be deprived of receiving proper education in India.

"The plight of transgenders is an untold story to the world. Time has come to stand beside the deprived community who hardly get justice. The cruelty faced by transgender persons in India is horrible. Now and then they faced humiliation in the society," said Shankar.

Hence, it is important to empower transgender persons by educating them and ensuring their basic rights for their development.

The central government has formed the National Council for Transgender to ensure legal protection for the community.

The council came into being after its announcement on August 21.

The council, headed by Thaawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment, is to function with other 12 departments of the government include National Commission for Women and the Human Rights Commission.

The Centre has announced five representatives of the council for five zones of north, south, east, west and northeast.

Gopi Shankar who was given charge of the southern region which includes Tamilnadu, Puducherry, Andhra Pradesh, Kerela, Karnataka, Telangana and Lakshadweep islands, will be in charge for three years.