In order to protect the rights of the transgenders in the society, the Karnataka state Cabinet on Thursday gave a nod to safeguard the transgender individuals from social, sexual exploitation. It also said that they will be integrated into the mainstream of the society.?
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The cabinet said that it will make sure that the awareness is created among the people through various programmes and also at the classroom-level by a way of reformed curriculums. This will further help to remove the stigma attached to the transgender community and will allow them to be an equal participant in the society, by providing them legal protection.
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The policy also entails the provision of reservation to transgender individuals in all levels of education and setting up of redressal cells for cases of harassment and discrimination of the individuals.
The Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in the state will roll out the policy within 36 months.
As per India census, 2011, the population of transgender is 4,87,803, of which 20,266 reside in Karnataka.
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In 2015, the Supreme Court recognised transgender as a third gender.
At the national level, a parliamentary panel in its report on the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, in July suggested the exemption of transgender community from criminalisation under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
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Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code makes sex or marriage with persons of the same gender punishable by law, which conflicts with the sexual practices of transgenders.
Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 seeks to bring social, educational and economic empowerment to the transgender community.
The bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha, and is pending for approval in Lok Sabha since August 2016. The bill, however, suffers from loopholes as pointed out by trans activists and several others.