Ambika Dahal/Kathmandu(Pahichan) January 3 – Government for the first time has appointed a focal person in order to hear the grievances of gender and sexual minority. Ministry of Children and Social Welfare appointed focal person to hear the problems of this community and suggest ways to solve them.

Bharat Sharma, Directory of Ministry’s ‘Monitoring, Evaluation and Statistics Analysis and Publication Department’ has been fixed as focal person.

After appointment, Sharma said Ministry is continuously working and cooperating with this community in order to secure rights. According to him, from this fiscal year, Ministry is planning to impart training and launch awareness campaigns in order to delete the negative mindset of society and people about this community.

At the initial phase, Ministry plans to hold interactions at various parts of country for the purpose of changing minds. According to him, such programs will bring government officials and stakeholders and there will be discussions on how the mind of society could be changed towards this community.

The couple of programs which was done in the past will be extended from this hear. Sharma added that a study is underway about the amount of budget needed to this community and government would allocate budget accordingly. This year, only a few amount of budget has been allocated. The ministry is studying about launching programs on legalizing same-sex marriage.

Speaking to Pahichan Online Sharma said vocational trainings and other skill could be imparted to the members of this community in coordination of CTEVT. Blue Diamond Society has demanded to construct a collective living system to the members of this community and Ministry provided some assistance.

The Ministry has provided assistances for the construction of buildings and budget has been allocated for the first time. According to Sharma, BDS is an organization of larger network and discussions are underway about the cooperation with other organization as well. “The new constitution has ensured the rights of this community, additional rights would be secured while formulating laws,” said Sharma adding that Ministry is in regular consultation with this community.

He assured that members of this community will not have to live without any rights. According to him, like in the past there is not any confusion in the Ministry due to the jurisdiction. “In the past there were provisions of male and female. Now members of this community are receiving passports according to their identity and there will not be any confusion,” said Sharma.