Two homes for transgender kids opened: Ng Uttam
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 29 2023: The state government has opened two children's homes for transgender children while a committee is looking into finalisation of the draft Gender Policy framed by the Manipur State Commission for Women in 2021 and submitted to the government, stated social welfare director Ng Uttam.

The director made the disclosure during a consultation on 'Urgent need for gender policy in Manipur' organised by Women Action for Development at the Classic Hotel, North AOC, here, on Wednesday.

Joining the discussion, Ng Uttam said that Manipur State Commission for Women drafted a Gender Policy in 2021 and submitted the same to the government.

In the same year, the state government constituted a committee to look into the draft and it is being uploaded on the website of the commission for inviting suggestions from the public for necessary modification before finalisation.

The policy must have issues of transgender and women and the committee already convened its first-round meeting, he added.

According to Ng Uttam, two homes fortransgender children have been opened in the state from this year, one for trans boys and another for trans girls, while one de-addiction centre for transgender has been opened at Khurai.

Considering the fact that gender policy could not be implemented without budgetary provision, this year's budget for social welfare department earmarked fund specifically for transgender by opening an account head.

Though the state is yet to have gender policy, gender budgeting had already begun and Manipur is first in the North East to have gender budgeting, said the director, who also highlighted challenges the department faced in having gender budgeting- Ng Uttam also said that social welfare department has launched Convergence Day for observance every Wednesday at some select Anganwadi centres so as to achieve cent per cent vaccination of pregnant women and infants.

This will increase rate of vaccination among women and infants as they would no longer visit health centres for vaccination, he added.

The consultation was also participated by Manipur State Commission for Women chairperson S Ulka, professor Chin-glen Maisnam of Manipur University and editor Ibungchoubi of Manipuri Mail daily.

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