Kathmandu (Pahichan) August 1 – The broadcasting of Pahichan program which was stalled for some period due to the lack of budget has been resumed from Saturday. The program is raising the voices and rights of sexual and gender minorities. The program produced by Blue Diamond Society has been resumed from August 1.

The program which was funded by Norwegian Embassy remained stalled for five months due to funding gap. The program has been resumed with assistance from Norwegian Embassy. “We all are different and we are equal,” was the slogan of program.

The program could be listed in Annapurna FM 94 in Kathmandu from 4:15 PM to 5 PM. Outside the Kathmandu valley, program could be listed at Prime FM Banepa, Shuklafata FM Kanchanpur, Radio Purbeli Awaj Biratnagar, Radio Makawanpur Hetauda, Krishna Sar FM Banke, Radio Tarang Pokhara and other seven FM station, according to Parsu Ram Rai, Deputy Executive Director of Society. Earlier the program was broadcasted in 15 FMs. In the first phase, 875 episodes of program were broadcasted.

The program Pahichan is disseminating the voices of homosexual and transgender who are facing discrimination in the society among the people, policy makes and public. According to Society Chairman Pinki Gurung as the program was focused to incorporate the sexual orientation in the draft constitution, the program will focus on the same issue.

Founder of Society and Former Lawmaker SunilBabu Pant wished the success of program expressing happiness over the resumption of program. “I express my deep feelings that Pahichan would earn more prestige and would reach the climate of these objectives,” Panta said. He said program would be helpful to make Nepali Society more democratic and inclusive.

Executive Director of Society Manisha Dhakal expressed the congratulation. She wised the success of the program. She said program would be helpful to ensure the rights of gender and sexual minorities in the new constitution.  She said Pahichan program would focused the interaction between lawmakers and homosexuals, transgender.

Chairman of Society Gurung said it is a matter of happiness to resume the program. Gurung said Pahichan program should focus on constitution and other policy related issues.

Gurung said as gender and sexual minorities are struggling to ensure their rights in the new constitution, the program should support this campaign. Secretary of Society Manoranjan Kumar Baidya, Deputy Director Parsu Ram Rai, Project Coordinator of Save the Children of Society Prakash Niraula, Legal Advisor Prem Bahadur Thapa and Sujan Panta expressed the hope that Pahichan would contribute to ensure the rights in new constitution. Such type of program is noble in the South Asia and this is first program of this region.