Srinagar: The picturesque district of Leh is turning its attention to a pressing question posed by the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh: “Who are the transgender residents of Leh?”
In response, the district is launching an initiative to identify and support its transgender community, a move aimed at redefining inclusivity in this Himalayan region.
This initiative, led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Ghulam Mohd, comes on the heels of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting the absence of reliable data on transgender individuals in Ladakh's Leh district.
The court's directive has spurred the formation of a specialized committee tasked with mapping the transgender population across Leh’s diverse villages. The committee, comprising key district officials from the Social Welfare and Health Departments, SDMs from various blocks, and legal experts, met on Saturday to outline the path forward.
At the heart of the discussions was a plan to engage grassroots stakeholders, such as Nambardars and Asha workers, in conducting village-level surveys. This bottom-up approach, according to the Ladakh UT administration's statement, aims to ensure that every transgender person is identified and given official certification, paving the way for future support and resources. The committee emphasized the importance of a clear, inclusive definition of “transgender” to guide surveyors, underscoring the need for accuracy and sensitivity.
"Beyond mere identification, the initiative reflects a broader commitment to safeguarding the rights and well-being of transgender individuals in Leh." As per the statement, the committee has set a one-month deadline to finalize survey formats and guidelines, aiming for a comprehensive and respectful enumeration of the district’s transgender population.
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