National Council for Transgender Persons

Q. Why is this in news?

A. Recently, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment has constituted the National Council for Transgender Persons, under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Q. What is its aim?

• To mainstream the transgender community’s concerns, focusing on livelihood issues as well as to raise awareness about the trans community, so that trans persons are accepted within families and in the larger society.
• To ensure that transgender welfare boards are set up in all States and essential needs of the transgender community, like housing, food, healthcare and education are met.

Q. What are its functions?

• Advising the Central government on the formulation of policies, programmes, legislation and projects with respect to transgender persons.
• Monitoring and evaluating the impact of policies and programmes designed for achieving equality and full participation of transgender persons.
• Reviewing and coordinating the activities of all the departments.
• Redressing grievances of transgender persons.
• Performing such other functions as prescribed by the Centre.

Q. What is its composition?

• Its chairperson will be the Union Minister of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.

          It will also consists of: 

• Representatives from five states or Union Territories (one each from the north, south, east, west and northeast regions), on a rotational basis.
• Five members of the transgender community (one each from the north, south, east, west and northeast regions). The tenure of the community members shall be three years.
• Representatives from 10 central departments.
• The council will have joint secretary-level members from the Ministries of Health, Home, Minority Affairs, Education, Rural Development, Labour and Law.
• In addition, there will be a member from the Department of Pensions (Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions), NITI Aayog, National Human Rights Commission and National Commission for Women.