Context: Recently, Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment launched a ‘National Portal for Transgender Persons’ which help transgender community members in applying for a certificate and an identity card online.
About National Portal for Transgender Persons

• It has been developed within 2 months of Notification of Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Rules, 2020. 
• Aims: This highly useful Portal would help a transgender person in applying for a Certificate and Identity card digitally from anywhere in the country. 
• The most important benefit is that it helps the transgender person to get the I-Card without any physical interface and without having to visit any office, the Minister said. 
• Significance: This portal will help a lot of people from the community to come forward and get Transgender Certificate and Identity Cards as per their self-perceived identity which is an important provision of The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Key Benefits

• Transparency and accountability: Through the portal, they can monitor the status of their application that ensures transparency in the process. 
• The issuing authorities are also under strict timelines to process the applications and issue certificates and identity cards without any necessary delays.
• Getting Transgender Certificate and Identity Cards as per their self-perceived identity is an important provision of The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019.

Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019

• The Act defines a trans person as someone whose gender does not match the one assigned at birth. It prohibits discrimination against them in employment, education, housing, healthcare and other services.
• It states that transgender persons will have the right to “self-perceived” gender identity.
• But it mandates that each person would have to be recognised as ‘transgender’ on the basis of a certificate of identity issued by a district magistrate.
• Change of gender identity in documents cannot be done without a certification by the District Magistrate after proof of a sex reassignment surgery is provided.
• It prohibits discrimination against a transgender person, including denial of service or unfair treatment.
• It seeks to provide rights of health facilities to transgender persons including separate HIV surveillance centres, and sex reassignment surgeries.
• It enforces  a minor’s right of residence compelling any trans person below 18 to cohabit with their natal family.
• It calls for establishing a National Council for Transgender persons (NCT).

Additional Information

• Garima Greh: A Shelter Home for Transgender Persons’
• It will be run in association with Lakshya Trust, a Community based organisation entirely run by the Transgenders.
• The purpose of the Shelter Home is to provide shelter to Transgender persons, with basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and recreational facilities.
• Besides, it will provide support for the capacity-building/skill development of persons in the Community, which will enable them to lead a life of dignity and respect.