Pakistan province sets quota for transgender people in government jobs | Abroad

“We are implementing this measure in government jobs and encourage the private sector to do the same,” Regional Minister Mukesh Chawla said on Tuesday. It is a “small but important” step, according to human rights activists. “Access to a decent livelihood will undoubtedly enable them to gain access,” said Timur Kamal of the human rights group TransAction, which provides legal and social support to the transgender community.

Transgender people are a marginalized community in the conservative Islamic society. Families often leave transgender children because there are many taboos and almost no social acceptance. So many go to beg or prostitution.

Sindh is one of the first regions in South Asia to announce such a measure. In neighboring India, some states have already introduced quotas for transgender workers, and in Bangladesh the government offers tax breaks for private companies that hire transgender people.

Pakistan previously passed a law in 2018 to ensure the protection of society and a decent life, after more than 500 transgender people were killed in previous years.