Public hearing conducted
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 03 2014 :
A public hearing was conducted under Project Pehchan which is being undertaken in different States to empower transgender, MSM (men having sex with men) and Hijra communities today.
With the financial support from Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, Solidarity and Action Against the HIV Infection in India (SAATHII), Indian HIV/AIDS Alliance, South India (AIDS) Action Programme (SIAAP), Alliance India Andhra Pradesh, Humfarar Trust and Sangama have been carrying on the five-year project in 17 States including Manipur since 2000 .
MACS Joint Director Mongjam Abhiram and Advocate Shamachoron were the panellists of the public hearing Project Pehchan Senior Project Manager Snigdha Sen said that the hearing was held with an aim to highlight the critical issues and violence being faced by transgender, MSM and Hijra communities after the imposition of Section 377 IPC (Criminalisation of Carnal Intercourse Against the Order of Nature) .
Transgenders, MSMs and Hijras are being harassed, discriminated and sexually assaulted although a Supreme Court order had not only recognised them as a third gender but also directed the Government to take upnecessary welfare schemes for them, he added.
Snigdha Sen said that there are lots of hindrances in organising health and HIV/ AIDS related advocacy programmes.
The State level public hearing would be followed by a National level hearing to be held in New Delhi from December 11, he added.
One transgender representative each from Angel Healthy Care, Senapati, Rainbow Empowerment Advocacy Learning, Churaphandpur, Masana Masabu Tengbangjaba Lup, Imphal, Maruploi Foundation and AASHA shared their bitter experiences and harassments meted out to them under the cover of Section 377 IPC at the hearing.