Empowering Transgender Lives for Financial Independence and Social Care

Gender equity is an essential dimension of human development. The United Nations Development Program also emphasizes that gender equality has an instrumental value for human development, that focuses on people and their opportunities and choices.1 Gender identity refers to a person’s internal and individual experience of gender, which may or may not correspond with the sex assigned at birth. Transgender is an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth.2 Different names are used for the transgender communities in the South Asian region, like Hijra, Eunuch, Kinnar Aravani, Shiv-Shakthis, Jogti Hijras, and Khawajasiras.

Trans people are subjected to levels of inequality, unfairness, harassment, and discrimination, often leading to violence that varies from country to country and culture to culture. It has been generally observed that transgender people are often excluded from society’s support networks, including parity, equality, and fair inclusion.3^,4 Currently, there has been a lot of interest in the issue of transgender people, especially for their civil rights.5^,6 It is a pity that many of these individuals face discrimination that may even begin during early childhood and often starts within their own families. Unfortunately, the circumstances lead to lifetime socio-economic hardship and deprivation of basic human rights and civil liberties like self-esteem, access to healthcare, dignity, education, and opportunities for employment.

In Pakistan, the journey of the transgender community toward equal opportunities, basic civil rights, and visible inclusion in the mainstream of life has been a continuing struggle and fight.7 Efforts to guarantee the provision of fundamental rights to the transgender community in Pakistan have been made both by the Pakistani parliament and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The main right in this regard is the right to equality, as transgender persons have faced discrimination since the colonial era in the subcontinent. Pakistan’s census officially recognized transgender people for the first time a few years ago. The apex court, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, also passed a historic judgment granting transgender people legal recognition and allowing them their rights.8 The 2018 Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act marked another benchmark outcome, permitting these individuals self-identification of gender without medical or psychological certification.9 These were indeed positive steps in the advancement of transgender rights, providing much-needed protections such as the definition of a transgender person and access to legal gender recognition based on self-determination, the rights to education and employment and the prohibition of discrimination. However, despite these decisions and legislations, the implementation and enforcement of these laws still remain as ineffective mainly because of negative, biased and prejudiced attitudes of the society towards transgenders

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018 in Pakistan, which was widely considered a positive step in the advancement of transgender rights, was drafted and advocated for by a wide group of stakeholders, including transgender rights activists. It enshrined much-needed protections such as the definition of a transgender person and access to legal gender recognition based on self-determination, the rights to education and employment and the prohibition of discrimination.10 This act and legislation were challenged in the Federal Shariat Court (FSC) and the FSC declared that certain sections of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2018—including those pertaining to gender identity and the right to inherit—contradicted Islamic law, while detractors blasted the law for using transgender rights as a pretext to legalize gay and lesbian rights.11 Despite the continuing obstacles and barriers for achieving rights for the transgender community, the enactment of the Transgender Protection Act in 2023 proved another constitutional accomplishment for transgenders for their civil rights.12

Even though several societies claim for tolerating and respecting differences in religion, customs and cultures, there is a lack of society’s general acceptance and tolerance for the transgenders.13 Many publications from Pakistan highlighted the social challenges, like shameful things for a person and their family, violation of their social rights, violence and harassment are some common examples.14^–16 Most families do not accept these behaviors and may threaten or even assault their children for crossing the accepted gender norms of society and for not fulfilling the expected roles. Parents may provide several reasons for doing so: bringing disgrace and shame to the family; diminished chances of their child getting married to a woman in the future, and thus the end of their generation; and perceived inability on the part of their child to take care of the family. Whereas lack of education comes as one of the important factors affecting their livelihoods, financial autonomy appears equally as a pertinent feature for their independent living. Lack of livelihood options is one of the commonest problems faced by them who continuously face a variety of social security and omission from economic participation. Denial of employment may be there even for qualified and skilled transgender people.

Building on the commitments by international agencies, good practice recommendations for the welfare of transgender individuals include policies and programs to enhance their financial independence. The empirical recommendations to enhance living and economic conditions include skills development, vocational programs, business opportunities for financial securities and independent business opportunities. Extreme social isolation of the transgender groups increases their vulnerability for access to health care facilities, lack of education and employment, with loss of opportunities for financial, economic, and social progress.17^,18

Fountain House Lahore in Pakistan is a facility run by Lahore Mental Health Association and has provided a range of mental health treatment, rehabilitation, and social care services to the marginalized communities since 1971.19 Continuing with its programs in social care areas, Fountain House has developed a program for financial empowerment for the mentally ill.20 Following the same principles, Fountain House has started a similar program for Transgender individuals (known locally as Khwajasira) who attend this facility as a part of their mental and physical health screening and social support for their daily living. Keeping in view the need for the financial stability for this group, Fountain House with mutual collaboration of Akhuwat—a microfinance initiative-based Nongovernmental Organization (http://www.akhuwat.org.pk/) in Pakistan with more than 800 branches that offers interest-free loans to the poor so that they may acquire a sustainable livelihood through setting up small businesses, launched Khwajasira Support Project (KSP). This program works with a vision of creating a system of support for members of the Khawajasira community. Since its inception, several Khawajasiras have now been registered and are supported through direct financial assistance, monthly stipends, health services, psychological support and community building intervention. They also get training on the prevention of diseases, improving hygiene and many other occupational and social skills.

Allied to the current facilities for the registered Khawajasiras and keeping social integration through self-support and skill development, a three-month “Skill Development Training Program” was started in 2024. The main objective was to provide wide-ranging support and assistance to these individuals through targeted intervention using skill development and employment Training. The program was named “Mera Hunar Mera Fakhar—(meaning my skill, my pride)” with different skills development like beautician training and basic skin care technology, makeup application, hair styling, nail care and manicure/pedicure, tailoring and sewing, basic stitching techniques and garment alteration. A group of ten transgenders (Khawajasiras) were enrolled and the training was started in August 2024. The training was completed in the month of November 2024, with all individuals completing the training and gaining sufficient skills for getting employed or starting their own business. It is heartening to note that this group is now successfully placed in different jobs and enjoys their financial independence with high levels of passion, engagement, and enthusiasm. They have not only learned new skills but also developed self-confidence and pride in their work. The trainers also provided personalized guidance, ensuring every participant mastered the core techniques.

Future Vision

Although the constitution and laws in many countries believe in equal rights for all, the rights of Trans people are often neglected. Unfortunately, the situation in many South Asian countries is not encouraging as their families mostly abandon them, and they are left with no support for their living, forcing transgender into begging, the profession of street singing and dancing and even prostitution.21 The financial empowerment project by Fountain house has opened new avenues for supporting the Transgenders who are forgotten for their basic rights. Fountain House’s skill development and capacity-building program has shown a reduction in discrimination and social exclusion, with pride in social and economic empowerment.

People are the real wealth of nations. When their capabilities, choices and hopes are dashed, the well-being of their nations leads to casualties. Evidence of gender inequality and bias is all around us. Outdated beliefs about gender roles are held across the world, and gender inequality continues to be widespread and deeply rooted. It is a pity that the prevailing obsolete social and political systems augment the pre-existing health disparities for transgenders as well. There is a dire need for the governmental and non-government organizations, civil society, print media and health and social care institutions to have a responsibility to ensure that these people get the attention and support they deserve.22

The initiative taken at Fountain House Lahore offers new insight for supporting the transgender community, especially in low-income countries with limited social support programs by the state. Transgenders, who are often neglected for their financial independence, receive inadequate support from the state. It is hoped that this financial empowerment program for transgenders will provide a step forward for empowering Transgenders with the economic independence using the local resources like micro-financing and social and community care models for establishing their autonomy for their respectful living.