Centre Launched A Portal For Transgender Community To Get Identity Certificate Online

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) launched a portal that will allow transgender persons to apply online for certification of their self-perceived gender identity. The move is aimed towards protecting their identity.

Union minister Thawar Chand Gehlot launched the portal. It will allow transgender persons to upload an affidavit declaring their gender identity. The affidavit will then become the basis for their identity certificates to be issued by the district magistrate.

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Applicants will get an identity card within 30 days of the district authorities receiving the application. This ID will then be the basis of gender identity in all other official documents.

What You Should Know

• The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MSJE) launched a portal that will allow transgender persons to apply online for certification of their self-perceived gender identity.
• It will allow transgender persons to upload an affidavit declaring their gender identity.
• Applicants will get an identity card within 30 days of the district authorities receiving the application.
• ID will then be the basis of gender identity in all other official documents.
• The ministry will also open shelter homes for the transgender community in each state.

The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019, which came into effect in January, allows for self-perceived identification by an applicant for an identity certificate. It also ensures that there would be no medical examination of the same.

Those transgender persons who have already recorded a change in gender identity as male, female or transgender, before the enactment of the law, need not apply for a certificate of identity as per the rules notified on September 25.

According to the officials, the portal will also enable them to register their grievances and will link them to schemes online. It will help to build a database of the community.

Ministry To Open Shelter Homes For Transgender Community In Each State

The ministry will also open shelter homes for trans community in each state. Gujarat inaugurated the first such home today. These homes will offer shelter and skill training to those in need. Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Patna, Kolkata, Jaipur, Raipur, Bhubaneswar and Manipur will also have such homes by March next year. They will be called "Garima Greh" and would have a capacity of 25 persons. Transgender community-led organisations will be running these homes.

Shivangi Thapa is an intern with SheThePeople.Tv

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