The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019

A Study on the Trans Community of Agartala, West Tripura District

Abstract

This research project borrows from the Transgender Persons Act of 2019, aiming to inquire not just the conditions of the trans community within Agartala, the capital of a small North eastern state of India, but also gauge the general awareness of the Trans community regarding their rights and welfare schemes as provided by the Government. The research was thus complied under three main objectives, which include: to find out if the Transgender Community in Agartala is aware of their rights, provided in the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019; to explore the different challenges or discriminations they face in education, occupation, and social security; and to understand whether they are aware of and availing of the Pension Scheme for Transgender Persons, by the Government of Tripura, and if not, why. The research is descriptive and analytical in nature and employ both primary and secondary sources to compile the findings. A total of 20 respondents were interviewed using a semi-structure interview schedule for the Hijra Community of Narayanpur and Gurkhabasti, Agartala, Tripura (West) while a questionnaire was used for the educated Trans community members which was circulated through the social media. For secondary sources, the data had been collected from the Office of the District Magistrate, West Tripura, Department of Social Welfare and Social Education, Government of Tripura and State Election Commission of Tripura. Thus, this study simply attempts to grasp the great contrast in behaviour and thought and to provide some insight into the lives of the Trans and Hijra communities of West Tripura District.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46700/asssr/2023/v5/i2/2023120502005