By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 24: The state government has constituted the Welfare Board for Transgender Persons for a period of three years to safeguard their rights and interests whilst facilitating access to government schemes and welfare measures.
The Commissioner and Secretary to the Social Welfare department will serve as the chairperson of the committee, which will include 14 other members and a member secretary.
The terms of reference of the Transgender Welfare Board include monitoring the implementation of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020, and ensuring the welfare of transgender persons under government schemes.
The welfare board will also ensure accessibility for transgender persons to health, housing, education, skilling, legal and other necessary services, and the inclusion of ‘transgender’ as an option wherever gender-related information is collected by any government department.
Additionally, the board will oversee the formulation of a state-level policy for the rescue, protection, rehabilitation, welfare and mainstreaming of the transgender community in Meghalaya.