TRANSGENDER PERSONS (PROTECTION OF RIGHTS) BILL, 2019

About:

• Definition: The Bill defines a transgender person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth. It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra.
  
  
• Prohibition against discrimination: It prohibits the discrimination against a transgender person, including denial of service or unfair treatment in relation to education, employment, healthcare, access to, or enjoyment of goods, facilities, opportunities available to the public.
  
  
• Right of residence: Every transgender person shall have a right to reside and be included in his household.
  
  
• Employment: No government or private entity can discriminate against a transgender person in employment matters, including recruitment, and promotion.
  
  
• Education: Educational institutions funded or recognised by the relevant government shall provide inclusive facilities for transgender persons, without discrimination.
  
  
• Health care: The government must provide health facilities to transgender persons including separate HIV surveillance centres, and sex reassignment surgeries.
  
  
• Certificate of identity for a transgender person: A transgender person may make an application to the District Magistrate for a certificate of identity, indicating the gender as ‘transgender’.
  
  
• Offences and penalties: The Bill imposes penalties for the offences against transgender persons like bonded labour, denial of use of public places, removal from household & village and physical, sexual, verbal, emotional or economic abuse.
  
  
• National Council for Transgender persons (NCT): The NCT chaired by Union Minister for Social Justice, will advise the central government as well as monitor the impact of policies with respect to transgender persons. It will also redress the grievances of transgender persons.