INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KATHMANDU:Gender and sexual minorities from different walks of life raised a whole range of issues pertaining to equal rights and their
implementation, during a workshop on Thursday, organised by Mitini Nepal which works for LGBTIQ rights in the country.
In the workshop
titled ‘Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee on the Legal Provision of LGBTI Community& held at Alfa House, New Baneshwar, the sexual
and gender minorities were given a space to find out more about their rights and share their stories.
During the workshop, legislative
committee lawmakers, women parliamentarians and other leaders urged the participants to voice their concerns as far as possible to project
the ground reality, in a country that is gradually embracing gender and sexual diversity.
It was pointed out that socially, dignity should
be common for people of all genders and sexual orientations and must come without conditions
People should be respected and given their spaces
They should be allowed the freedom of expression and choice.
&You can&t force me to wear clothes I don&t like, I will throw it off my body,
eventually,& said Monika Tamang, a sexual minority
Tamang, was forcefully married when she came out as everyone in her family thought she was &mentally ill&
She added, &If policymakers and other people in power do not listen to our plights, then who will?&
With absolutely no parental or family
support, there are many consequences of coming out
It costs individuals their freedom and dignity
Subasana Gurung, also a sexual minority, while speaking about her employment struggle after coming-out, remembers how she was told to not
come under public scrutiny and hide instead, every time she reached out to policymakers for her rights
Her story left many in tears.
Advocate Dipak Raj Joshi thoroughly briefed the workshop participants about legalities and barriers related to
He opined how laws should be made keeping in mind LGBTIQ concerns and not by assaulting their rights
People should be conscious and address people in the correct manner without hurting any sentiments, he added.
Another participant spoke
about teachers who are ashamed to educate students on matters related to sex and gender, leaving students to their own means to second guess
&Less information in the education sector leads to a backward society,& he said
Most of us are harassed everywhere as we continue to fight for basic human rights, right to employment, special quota, marriage equality,
child adoption, among others.
Member of Parliament (MP) Rameshwor Ray Yadav of Nepal Communist Party (NCP) said, all humans should live with
&It a slow and steady process and discrimination against the LGBTIQ individuals should not be entertained at any cost,& he added.
Lawmaker
Krishna Bhakta Pokharel said that people should question stereotypes; all human beings should be valued and their existence acknowledged, no
matter what their gender or sexual orientation is
&To mock and laugh at people for their gender should end,& he asserted
LGBTIQ rights is a very important campaign and it is vital to address human rights violations, based on gender and sexual orientation, in
order to secure equal rights.
The event, which concluded with a closing remark from the President of Mitini Nepal, Laxmi Ghalan, was a
platform to share and discuss stories, which reflect the ingrained identity struggle but also focuses on solutions to form a more just
society.
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