Kaski (Pahichan) April 30 – Sexual and gender minorities community has concluded that a lot needs to be done to secure the rights of this community. Speaking in a two-day review meeting held in Pokhara, they said more efforts must be made to implement the rights mentioned in the constitution.

They said there are still problems to receive citizenship on the basis of identity. They said though the article 18 of new constitution has clearly stated that there should not be discrimination on the basis of gender identity, members of this community are facing discrimination from family, society and state.

The article 42 of constitution states that there must should inclusive and proportional representation of this community in the state organs but there is not such provisions for this community, the gathering concluded.

They expressed the displeasure over the delay to implement the same-sex marriage report prepared following the order of Supreme Court in 2064 B.S.

Despite the pressure, the civil code has continued the discriminatory provisions of the marriage. They are of the view that assistances provided by donor agencies must not be stopped. “Now there is visibility of organization. If there is not organization that works for use, we are likely to lose our rights,” they said. The gathering has expressed happiness that in the period of 15 years, Blue Diamond Society has been succeeded to implement the rights of this community in the constitution. The constitutional provisions, allocation of budget by local bodies and support of other organizations are attributed as a success of these organizations.

The gathering has expressed dissatisfaction over the functioning of Ministry saying that their agendas are not addressed properly by Minister and there is a dilly-dallying to implement the report. They are of the view that this community is still facing a lot of problems but social and media are still indifferent to those problems.

The gathering has concluded a data that more than five hundred members of this community are engaged in their own professions. Modeling, make-up, artists, hotel and restaurant, cinema, fish farming, pig farming, weaving, saloon are the major professions where members of this community are engaged.

The members of this community have expressed commitments to encourage the children below 18 to go for school, to make school gender and sexual minority friendly and to establish toilets that are friendly to the members of this community. The gathering appreciated the role played by Blue Diamond Society Chairman Pinky Gurung and Transgender activist Shilpa Chaudary who helped to increase the visibility of this community. Gurung was not appointed as lawmaker as Naya Shaki Nepal Party did not secured the required vote while CPN-UML betrayed Shilpa Chaudhary.