National Council for Transgender Persons

About National Council for Transgender Persons

• It is a statutory body constituted under the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act 2019 to safeguard the rights of transgender persons in India.
• It is responsible for monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 and making recommendations to the government on measures to promote and protect the rights of transgender persons. 
• Aims
  • To focus on livelihood issues as well as to raise awareness about the trans community for achieving the goal of social justice so that transpersons are accepted within families and in the larger society.
  • To ensure to set up of transgender welfare boards in all states and also ensure that essential needs of the transgender community, like housing, food, healthcare, and education are met.
• Composition
  • The Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment is the Chairperson (ex-officio).
  • The Union Minister of State for Social Justice & Empowerment is the Vice-Chairperson (ex-officio) of the council.
  • The other members of the Council include representatives of various Ministries/Departments
  • Five representatives of the transgender community.
  • Representatives of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and the National Commission for Women (NCW), representatives of State Governments and UTs, and experts representing NGOs.
• Functions:
  • It advises the Central Government on the formulation of policies, programmes, legislation and projects with respect to transgender persons.
  • It Monitors and evaluates the impact of policies and programmes designed for achieving equality and full participation of transgender persons.
  • It reviews and coordinates the activities of all the departments of Government and other Governmental and non-Governmental Organisations which are dealing with matters relating to transgender persons.
  • It redresses the grievances of transgender persons.
  • Performs such other functions as may be prescribed by the Central Government.

Q1) Who is a transgender?

A person as one whose gender does not match the gender assigned at birth. It includes trans-men and trans-women, persons with intersex variations, gender-queers, and persons with socio-cultural identities, such as kinnar and hijra.

Source: Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment chairs meeting of National Council for Transgender Persons