"Gaining Full Citizenship of Manipuri Indigenous Nupi Maanbi and Nupa Maanba" released
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 25 2022: A book release function of a research based book titled "Gaining Full Citizenship of Manipuri Indigenous Nupi Maanbi and Nupa Maanba" was held today at Manipur Press Club today.

The book is based on the year-long research project conducted by All Manipur Nupi Maanbi Association (AMANA) in collaboration with Solidarity and Action Against The HIV Infection in India (SAATHI) .

The project is a part of a Fellowship Program, RAP 2021-2022 which was sponsored by The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Rights (RFSL) as a seed grant of the one year long RAP Fellowship Program, 2021-2022 .

Santa Khurai was granted the financial support to conduct the research as she was a cohort among the ten selected individuals from different countries.

The main objective of the research is to explore how the transgender law and policy shapes the lives of Manipuri indigenous Nupi Maanbi and Nupa Maanba (transgender women and men), identity and community.

The findings and recommendations of the research are to be used as an advocacy tool in various United Nations Bodies and Mechanism.

In the course of the research, five Focus Group Discussion were conducted with the transgender community in five different districts in Manipur.

Similarly, a separate Semi - Structured interview was also administered with 5 (Five) different stakeholders: Education Department; Manipur State Commission for Women: Manipur State Legal Services Authority (MSLSA); Election Commission and Social Welfare Department, Children Program.

The Focus Group Discussion were analysed to compare the views of the community members and other stakeholders and interpret them in the context of the existing laws and policies.

It may be noted that the transgender community has always had a substantial presence in the history of the world, especially in Hindu mythology and other religious texts.

Nupi Maanbi and Nupa Maanba constitute the indigenous transgender community in Manipur.

Over the years, the community has struggled to make a space for itself in the State.

Santa Khurai, Research Principal Investigator said, 'To understand the factors that overlap with the understanding of gender identity and expression, it is also important to dive deep into the live experiences of the community'.

She continued that in the process of community mobilization aiming to assert the rights and seek social justice there are numerous witnesses and therefore, instances of misrepresentation, under-representation and non-recognition of the community's cultural identity and background.

The cultural identity of the community is subsumed under the majoritarian aspects of transgender identity and 'transness'.

Hence, it fails to recognize and address the actual needs of transgender community per se and of the progressive and contemporary community in law and policies, she added.

As a part of an advocacy and dissemination activity of the findings, SAATHII and AMANA organized the book release and interaction with media and stakeholders to express their views and wishes about the research and help them to understand the challenges faced by the transgender persons in Manipur.

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