Third gender may find a place in Nepal's next census
After repealing all discriminatory laws against the country’s sexual minorities, Nepal is mulling to include the third gender in its next census. Experts feel that proper documentation will help government formulate necessary policies to ensure their rights.
Kathmandu: For 19-year-old Bishnu Adhikary of Naudanda in Kaski district, getting her citizenship and identifying her sex as third gender was the most victorious moment of her life.
Backed by Supreme Court (SC) recognition of third gender, Adhikary was the first person to get citizenship with this identity after she convinced her brother, the village development committee officer and chief district officer seven months ago.
Born as a girl, Adhikary became aware of her sexual orientation from a local NGO. “I felt I wanted my own identity, so I tried to get my citizenship under the new legal provision,” Adhikary said. “Denying our right to identity deprives us of basic rights. We should be duly respected and provided our rights.”
In December 2007, the apex court ordered the government to annul all discriminatory laws against lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders and intersexuals (LGBTI) who do not fall under either the male or female category and recognise the 'third gender'. The court also said they should be allowed to enjoy the same state facilities as others.
Although Nepal is the only country in South Asia that provides such rights, in practice, the story is very different. No one besides Adhikary has such a citizenship certificate so far.
With demands for proper identification, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) is contemplating inclusion of 'third gender' in the next census scheduled for 2011.
“We have been receiving demands to include 'third gender' in the next census and discussions are underway at both national and regional levels,” says Rudra Suwal, director of population section at CBS. But it's easier said than done.
Census-taking is a huge operation and very expensive. According to Suwal, one added question alone costs Rs. 500,000. Census enumerators visit six million households. “The question is whether the enumerators can understand the concept of third gender and ask a question on it in a sensitive manner,” says Suwal.
But CBS is also pondering the option of conducting a survey to find out the number of third gender Nepalese. Blue Diamond Society (BDS), an advocacy group, estimates some two million homosexuals and third genders live in the country. But only 150,000 homosexuals and third genders are registered in its offices in 35 districts across the country.
“Proper documentation of third genders in the census will determine their exact number and also help formulate plans to ensure their rights,” says founder president of BDS Sunil Babu Pant. “This way, those belonging to the third gender will feel they are part of society.”
Advocate Sapana Pradhan Malla feels that since persons belonging to third gender are more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, the government needs to know how many such people exist in the country. “This will make government programmes on HIV/AIDS prevention more effective,” she says.
