Bihar: Women, children shelters to get transgender security guards
State-funded shelter homes for women and children in Bihar may get transgender security guards as the government has instructed authorities to prefer them during recruitment. The instruction followed allegations of sexual exploitation of inmates in some of the shelter homes in the past. Social Welfare Department Principal Secretary Atul Prasad had mooted the idea at CM Nitish Kumar's weekly public interaction programme "Lok Samvad".
Idea in response for opening employment opportunities for transgenders
The idea given by Prasad was in response to a request for opening employment avenues for the transgender community. "Accordingly, instructions are issued to the NGOs running these shelter homes, that henceforth priority be accorded to candidates from the transgender community while recruiting security guards," Prasad said. He cited the sexual exploitation of girls at a shelter in Muzaffarpur in June.
Transgenders less likely to indulge in such crimes: Prasad
"We hold the view that transgender security guards were less likely to indulge in such crimes compared to their male counterparts," Prasad said.
Move to provide respectable source of income to transgenders: Prasad
Prasad said this move would provide the transgender community members with a respectable source of livelihood and bring them into the social mainstream. "We have also ordered a survey to ascertain the number of transgender people in Bihar besides setting up an office for the Transgender Welfare Board," Prasad added. The Transgender Welfare Board's member, Reshma Prasad expressed happiness with the move.
Reshma had earlier raised issue of transgender employment
"There are more than 100 shelter homes in the state. According to a UNDP survey, the transgender community in Bihar is 40,000-strong," Reshma said. She added that with a number of people among them getting an opportunity to serve the society constructively, they can look forward to getting more respect. Reshma had raised the issue of transgender community before CM Kumar on Monday.
