Shelter & support clinic for transgenders fetches activist Republic Day honours

Mohini Mahant, a transgender activist, who was also the first member from the community to be selected as a jurist at the National Lok Adalat, Punjab, was honoured for her contribution towards the uplift and empowerment of transgenders at the Republic Day function held in district. Mahant runs the non-profit Mansa Federation Welfare Society at Majitha Road and has been actively engaged in the welfare of transgender community through educational, social and economic measures.

Advertisement

Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, while presenting Mohini the award of excellence, said that in her efforts to provide healthcare services to the community, her non-profit organisation has set up a 25-bed shelter home-cum-support clinic for transgenders.

Elated over the honour, Mohini, who has done a double Masters and PhD, and has been working in the field of health and educational reforms, especially in terms of her community, said that the challenges regarding basic rights of transgenders are plenty. “It’s been a decade since we have been working to create awareness campaigns and self-help groups to support transgenders, who are denied basic rights like access to education, healthcare and protection against social stigma. We provide vocational training as well as create awareness regarding HIV through our organisation. There is still a long way to go before we attain inclusiveness in mainstream society.”

Currently, Mohini and her team is working to ensure that the registered members of the community have Aadhaar cards, voter I-cards and PAN cards to avail welfare benefits under schemes of the Central government.