Daily Times

Pakistan is now home to the country’s first-ever school catering exclusively to the transgender community. Located in Lahore, The Gender Guardian says it offers a full 12 years of academic matriculation; from primary through to secondary level and then up to college. Thus far it boasts a student body of just 30. But in a conservative country like this one where even little girls can get shot in the head for daring to pursue an education — this is a brave and welcome move.

The brainchild of non-governmental organisation Exploring Future Foundation (EFF), it also offers vocational training focusing on fashion, beauty as well as graphic design. For just as the Pakistani girl child is robbed of her childhood and fundamental right to education — so, too, is the country’s transgender community. Yet this group is even more marginalised given that it is usually and unfairly seen through the myopic prism of the sex trade; which ultimately leads to further dehumanisation. Especially considering that the transgender community is reportedly infected by HIV 49 times more than the rest of the population. Thus education and a safe environment is the first and most important step to countering this stigma.

And while it is unclear from where EFF receives funding, it is a shame that the Centre was not at the forefront of such an initiative. For all too often, mainstream political parties consider efforts to get child beggars or child labourers into school the work of NGOs; as if the securing of inalienable rights for all is somehow beneath them. Unless of course one happens to be the Father of the Taliban looking for government coffers to fund a particularly controversial madrassa.

Yet more than anything, The Gender Guardian provides a timely reminder that the discourse on minority rights must move beyond religion. *

Published in Daily Times, April 20^th 2018.