UNAIDS, the leading advocacy group for joint international action against the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) office in India have been important partners in this effort.
On the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), observed every year on May 17, we look back on the journey of some members of the Indian community and highlight the challenges they still face.
‘All hell broke loose’
Noyonika* and Ishita*, a lesbian couple from a small town in the northeastern Indian state of Assam, work for an organization advocating for LGBTQIA+ rights.
But despite his advocacy role in the community, Noyonika never found the courage to tell his family that he was gay. “Very few people know this,” she says. “My family is very conservative, so it’s unthinkable for them to understand that I’m gay.”
Noyonika’s partner, Ishita, is Agender (does not identify or lacks gender). During her childhood, she says, she realized she was different from other girls and that she was attracted to girls rather than boys. But her family was also very conservative, so she did not tell her father her own reality.
Minal*, 23, and Sangeeta*, 27, have similar stories. The couple lives in a small village in the northwestern province of Punjab. They currently live in large cities and work for reputable companies.
Sangeeta said that although her parents eventually agreed to the relationship, Minal’s family was extremely opposed to it, to the point of harassing the couple. Minal said.
Sangita explained, “We received permission to live together through a court order in 2019,” but after this, Minal’s family started threatening her over the phone.
“They used to say they would kill me and put my family in prison. Even my family was afraid of these threats. “After that, (Minal’s family) continued to stalk and harass us for two to three years,” he said.
Today, Sangeeta and Minal are still struggling to get their relationship legally recognized.
*Name has been changed to protect identity.
struggle for acceptance
Heartbreaking stories like this can be found across India, where social prejudice and harassment continue to plague lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex communities.
Sadhna Mishra, a transgender activist from Odisha, runs a community organization called Sakha. During her childhood she faced oppression for not conforming to her social gender norms. In 2015, she underwent gender confirmation surgery and her journey towards her true self began.
Recalling her painful childhood, she said, “I was repeatedly sexually assaulted because of my femininity. Every time I cried, my mother asked me why, and I couldn’t say anything. People used to ask me why I called chaka and cheeks (transgender or intersex). “Your mother will smile and say it’s because you are different and unique.”
It is because of her mother’s faith in her that Sadhna is now actively fighting for the rights of other transgender people.
Nonetheless, she remembers well the early stages of trying to launch the organization and the difficulties she faced, including the difficulty of finding a space in Saha’s office. People were reluctant to rent space to her transgender counterpart, so Sadhna had to work in public spaces and parks.
social prejudice
Lack of understanding and intolerance toward the LGBTQIA+ community is similar in large cities and rural areas.
Noyonika says her organization sees many cases of men marrying women without understanding their gender identity due to social pressure. She said, “In villages and towns, we see many couples who are forced to have children and live a false life.”
Referring to the rural areas of Assam where her organization operates, Ishita gave the example of cultural festivals. Bhavna is being celebrated in NamgarsOr a place of worship where dramas based on mythological stories are shown.
The female characters in this drama are mainly played by men with feminine characteristics. During the festival they are widely praised and applauded for their feminine qualities, but when they are out of the spotlight they can become victims of harassment.
“They are threatened, sexually exploited and molested,” Ishita explained.
slow road to progress
In recent years, positive legal and policy decisions have been made recognizing the LGBTQIA+ community in India. This includes a 2014 National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) decision in which the court upheld the right of everyone to identify their gender and legally recognized hijra and kinnar (transgender people) as a ‘third gender’.
In 2018, India’s Supreme Court ruled that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code was unconstitutional in order to criminalize private consensual sex between men. Additionally, in 2021, the Madras High Court issued a landmark judgment ordering the state government to provide comprehensive welfare services to the LGBTQIA+ community.
UN advocacy
Communication is an important way to foster dialogue, help create a more tolerant and inclusive society, and gradually change mindsets.
To this end, UN Women, in collaboration with India’s Ministry of Women and Child Development, contributed to the development of recent gender-inclusive communication guidelines.
Meanwhile, UNAIDS and UNDP offices in India are working to support the LGBTQIA+ community and provide better health and social protection services to that community by conducting awareness-raising and capacity-building campaigns.
David Bridger, UNAIDS India Country Director, said: “UNAIDS supports the leadership of LGBTQ+ people in the HIV response and human rights advocacy, and is committed to eliminating discrimination and helping to build inclusive societies where all people are protected and respected. “He said.
He added: “The HIV response has taught us all that to protect everyone’s health, we must protect everyone’s rights.”
In line with the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the organization’s broader commitment to leave no one behind, UNDP is working with governments and partners to strengthen laws, policies and programs that address inequality and ensure respect for human rights. Of LGBTQIA+ people.
UNDP has also been implementing relevant regional initiatives through the “Being LGBTI in Asia and the Pacific” program.
opportunities and challenges
Dr Chiranjeev Bhattacharjya, Country Program Manager (Health Systems Strengthening Unit), UNDP India, said: “At UNDP India, we have been working very closely with the LGBTQI community to promote their rights.”
In fact, he said there are currently multiple opportunities to support the community due to progressive legal landmarks such as the NALSA judgment, decriminalization of same-sex relationships (377 IPC) and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019. their development.
“However, there are implementation challenges that require multi-stakeholder collaboration and we will continue to work with the community to address them to ensure no one is left behind,” he said.
Even though the repeal of Article 377 has moved India’s legal landscape towards greater inclusiveness, the country’s LGBTQIA+ community still awaits recognition and justice when dealing with many areas of their daily lives and interactions. Next of kin if one partner is hospitalized; Can I add a partner to my life insurance policy? Or whether same-sex marriage can be legally recognized.
