For the first time, eunuchs are being factored into Centre’s policy-making, with Union social justice and empowerment ministry (MSJ) naming them as a target group in its schemes for de-addiction from alcoholism and substance abuse.
It is saddening that eunuchs/hijras are only just now being included national policy, especially one such as de-addiction–indicating the difficult social position that they occupy which leads them to addiction in the first place. While it is good to see a policy now on the tables to give these people the help they deserve, much much more needs to be done to improve the hijras social status.
Check out this related post on Human Rights today on transgender rights in India. See also this great piece by my co-blogger on Ultra Violet, Anindita Sengupta:
The ‘eunuch’ or transgender community is at such an extreme end of the rights spectrum in India, that they’re practically off it. In a society that recognizes only two genders, they are often rendered invisible, ridiculous, horrific or disgusting. They are laughed at, shunned, rejected by their families, denied jobs, ration cards and passports, and exploited by others in the professions they are allowed into (beggary and sex work) and by the police.
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