Inclusion of LGBTI community in economic activities stressed
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 03 2017:
Under the project of Sussex Social Science Impact Fund, University of Sussex, an orientation workshop on Economic Inclusion and Advocacy Project of Gender and Sexual Minorities of Manipur with the business communities and entrepreneurs of UK was held at Classic Hotel Regency today.
The workshop was jointly organized by All Manipur Nupi Maanbi Association (AMANA), Enabling Trans Ability (ETA), Centre for Organization, Research and Education CORE Manipur, SAATHII and Sussex Social Science Impact Fund, University of Sussex.
K Saroja, Deputy Director (Training) Department of Social Welfare, community members from AMANA, ETA, Social Awareness Service Organization and Maruploi Foundation, research scholars, activists, journalists and entrepreneurs from various companies MOBIMP, Target Foods, Mangaal, Shared Grounds Foundation, Spongeheads Advertising, Swerve India Private Limited and Nachom Arts Foundation attended the workshop which was organized with an aim to include LGBTI community in the economic activities and business association as they are marginalized in every aspect.
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The organizing team requested the entrepreneurs and representatives from the various companies to explore the possibilities of pilot skills building and employment programs of the LGBTI community.
Representatives from the companies and entrepreneurs showed the commitment of providing opportunities in jobs, organizing workshops, giving trainings, scholarship for sexual minorities, sensitization programme in various institutes and skills development in various sectors to the LGBTI community.
A session on sex, sexuality and gender was also conducted to give the nuanced understanding to the participants.
K Saroja gave a session on the legal, social and economic entitlements like education, employment, protection against discrimination etc guaranteed by the Supreme Court in the NALSA versus Govt of India, 2014 judgment.
Santa Khurai, secretary of AMANA pointed out the need of Transgender Welfare Board to be a fully functional body to support the transgender community from the Government and get benefits from its schemes and policies.
Discrimination in the workplace and families, forceful terminations from their jobs because of their Gender Identity, financial and social exclusion, difficulties in their livelihood activities etc were shared by the community.