Shahzad Rasheed
Aawaz district forum executive committee organized a sensitization session for the officials of regional office of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Election Commission.
The event was facilitated by Mr. Qamar Naseem Transgender Rights expert and Program Coordinator Blue Veins. The event was attended by Mr. Syed Ahmed Khan Director Election Commission Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Mr. Sohail khan deputy Director Election Commission Pakistan, Aawaz II District Forum members, Election Commission officials, transgender community representatives and media.
The session focused on transgender person’s political inclusion in the upcoming local government election as voter and candidate. The session shed light on the federal and provincial legal framework available to protect transgender voting rights, the gaps in the implementation of laws, and how Election Commission of Pakistan can play a vital role in provision of transgender friendly polling stations to ensure effective political inclusion of transgender persons in the upcoming elections.
Mr. Muhammed Farid Afridi Joint Provincial Election Commissioner Khyber Pakhtunkhwa expressed “There is critical need for the issuance of ‘X’ identity cards for all transgender persons to aid election commission to ensure the effective participation of transgender persons in the upcoming elections”.
Mr. Asad Ali District Forum member expressed “It is the dire need of the time that the Government and Civil Society Organizations should join efforts for provision of transgender voting rights and ensure safe inclusion of transgender persons in the upcoming local government elections.
Mr. Amanat Ali Nazim district forum member urged that the “NADRA department should launch a campaign to register all transgender persons in the district, in order to access Government welfare schemes and vote registrations”.
Ms Jannat Mehmood secretary Aawaz II District forum said “When it comes to matters of inheritance, employment and election registration, transgender community is among the most disadvantaged and disenfranchised. In order to ensure safe inclusion of transgender persons it is crucial for the CSO’s and government departments to collaborate efforts to advocate for the rights of transgender community on provincial level.”
In the end of the event Blue Veins distributed publications on the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act rules of business 2020 to enhance understanding of the audience on the available law.