The policy seeks to protect the rights of transgender people in education, employment, healthcare, housing and safety.

• The state will also take steps to amend Hindu Succession Act and Indian Succession Act to ensure the right of inheritance for transgender people.
• The policy allows transgender and intersex people to choose their gender — male, female, or transgender — without needing medical procedures or certificates.

Who is a Transgender?

• Definition: A transgender person is someone whose gender identity does not align with the gender assigned at birth. [Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019].
• Population: ~ 4.8 Lakh (Census, 2011).
• NALSA Judgment (2014): Supreme Court recognized transgender individuals as the "third gender" and affirmed their fundamental rights under the Indian Constitution.

Issues Faced by Transgender Persons

• Legal and identity issues: 2019 Act mandates certification of gender identity by a District Magistrate, infringing on the right to self-identify.
• Social Discrimination and marginalization: Lack of social acceptance, cultural perceptions view gender non-conformity as deviant, leading to widespread ostracism, physical and sexual violence, etc.
• Education barriers: Lack of inclusive curriculum, dropouts due to bullying, etc.
• Healthcare: Lack of gender-affirmative healthcare, high prevalence of depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendencies due to societal non-acceptance, etc.
• Economic Exclusion: Due to hiring biases and workplace hostility.