ISLAMABAD: Fudging population figure of transgender people in the recently-held census would hamper the grant of rights to them.

The actual figure, which is around two million, should be reflected in the census results.

This was stated by Uzma Yaqoob of Forum for Dignity Institution at the National Press Club on Friday.

She said the transgender population faces human rights violation and infringement of civil liberties. They are mocked in all spheres of the society, she added.

“It is unfortunate that even the mainstream media portray the transgender as non-entities and make fun of them,” she added,

Transgender activists, who were present on the occasion, said that they were not even considered as humans in the society, and were expelled from their houses by their families.

The society does not allow them to earn a dignified livelihood, an activist added.

“The most inhuman act is that our community members are not even given proper treatment in hospitals,” Jolly, a transgender woman, said.

She added that “I am educated but there is no job opportunity for me neither in the public nor in the private sector.”

Published in Dawn, October 7th, 2017