AUN News: Your Source for Inclusive Global News

AUN News is a leading media channel committed to delivering impactful information on public policy. Our mission is to amplify the voices of deprived and marginalized stakeholders, ensuring inclusiveness in the policy-making process to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) . Through rigorous reporting and insightful analysis, we bring critical global issues to the forefront, striving for transparency and accountability in governance.

Our Commitment to Global News Coverage

With a diverse network of dedicated journalists, editors, and broadcasters, AUN News covers essential topics affecting governance, development, and social affairs across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and beyond. Our commitment to inclusiveness drives us to provide authentic and credible reporting on critical areas such as:

  • International Trade & Commerce: Understanding the dynamics of trade agreements, tariffs, and their impact on local economies is vital. We provide insights into trade policies and their implications for global markets.
  • International Relations and Politics: We analyze the relationships between countries, exploring diplomatic efforts and conflicts that shape our world. Our coverage includes political alliances, treaties, and the role of international organizations.
  • International & Regional Cooperation Mechanisms: Highlighting collaborative efforts among nations to address global challenges, we report on initiatives that promote peace, security, and shared prosperity.
  • Art and Culture: AUN News recognizes the importance of cultural narratives in shaping public discourse. We showcase diverse artistic expressions that reflect societal values and issues.
  • Conflict: Causes, Effects, Regulations: Our investigative reporting delves into the root causes of conflicts, their impact on communities, and the legal frameworks governing them.
  • Democracy and Civil Rights: We advocate for democratic governance and civil liberties, reporting on human rights issues and the struggles faced by marginalized groups.
  • Environmental Laws and Global Concerns: Addressing climate change and environmental degradation, AUN News covers legislation and advocacy efforts aimed at protecting our planet.
  • Labour, Migration, and Trafficking Issues: We shed light on the complexities of labor rights, migration policies, and the fight against human trafficking, advocating for justice and equity.

Stay Informed with AUN News

Our expert team provides accurate, unbiased reporting and analysis, ensuring that you remain informed on crucial issues. We cover a wide array of topics, including International Relations, Environment Laws, and more, helping you grasp complex global dynamics.

By following AUN News, you gain access to reliable information that empowers you to make informed decisions about the world around you. Our commitment to fact-based reporting ensures that you receive the highest quality news coverage available.

Expert Analysis and Insightful Commentary

At AUN News, we pride ourselves on offering insightful analysis and commentary from experts in Political Science, Fact-Checking, Investigative Reporting, and Policy Advocacy. Our diverse perspectives help readers understand and engage with intricate issues affecting public policy. We delve into critical topics, providing context and expert opinions that facilitate meaningful discussions.

Join Our Engaged Community

Become a part of our community by joining the conversation on pressing global issues. Share your thoughts, connect with like-minded individuals, and engage in meaningful discussions on topics that matter to you. AUN News serves as a platform for dialogue, allowing diverse voices to come together and champion inclusive policies.

Our Dedication to Social Justice

AUN News is committed to promoting social justice and grassroots advocacy. We focus on Democracy, Civil Rights, Labour, Migration, and Trafficking Issues to raise awareness and stimulate change in our communities. By highlighting these vital topics, we aim to foster an environment where everyone’s rights are respected and upheld.

Fact-Based Reporting

Our dedication to fact-based reporting ensures that readers receive accurate information to make informed decisions about issues that affect their lives. We strive for integrity and transparency in all our reports, recognizing that our audience deserves trustworthy news.

Connect with AUN News

Join us today to start receiving our informative content. Stay updated on vital issues and become part of our community. Engage with others, share your opinions, and contribute to discussions that impact society. Your voice matters, and together we can drive meaningful change.

Our Mission

At AUN News, we strive to build a more inclusive world. We support businesses, policymakers, civil society, and international news outlets in championing inclusive policies and achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Our mission is to ensure everyone has a voice in the policy-making process.

Why AUN News Exists

We are driven by a belief in inclusiveness and the Sustainable Development Goals. AUN News amplifies marginalized voices in the policy-making process, recognizing their vital role in shaping effective policies. We are the broadcasting arm of the Advocacy Unified Network, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, with offices in New York, Durban, London, and Singapore.

Conclusion

AUN News is more than just a media channel; it’s a movement towards inclusivity and awareness. By providing comprehensive coverage of critical global issues, we empower our audience to engage with the world around them. We believe that informed citizens are the backbone of a healthy democracy and advocate for a future where everyone’s voice is heard and valued.

Together, let’s create a more informed society that champions human rights, social justice, and sustainable development. Stay connected with AUN News for the latest updates, insightful analysis, and a community dedicated to fostering positive change.

AUN News: Your Source for Inclusive Global News

AUN News is a leading media channel dedicated to delivering impactful information on public policy. We focus on amplifying the voices of deprived and marginalized stakeholders, ensuring inclusiveness in the policy-making process to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .

Our Commitment to Global News Coverage

With a network of committed journalists, editors, and broadcasters, AUN News covers essential topics affecting governance, development, and social affairs across the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Oceania, and beyond. Our dedication to inclusiveness drives us to provide authentic and credible reporting on critical areas such as:

  • International Trade & Commerce
  • International Relations and Politics
  • International & Regional Cooperation Mechanisms
  • Art and Culture
  • Conflict: Causes, Effects, Regulations
  • Democracy and Civil Rights
  • Environmental Laws and Global Concerns
  • Labour, Migration, and Trafficking Issues

Stay Informed with AUN News

Our expert team provides accurate, unbiased reporting and analysis, ensuring that you remain informed on crucial issues. We cover various topics, including International Relations, Environment Laws, and more, helping you grasp complex global dynamics.

Expert Analysis and Insightful Commentary

At AUN News, we offer insightful analysis and commentary from experts in Political Science, Fact-Checking, Investigative Reporting, and Policy Advocacy. Our diverse perspectives help readers understand and engage with intricate issues affecting public policy.

Join Our Engaged Community

Become a part of our community by joining the conversation on pressing global issues. Share your thoughts, connect with like-minded individuals, and engage in meaningful discussions on topics that matter to you.

Our Dedication to Social Justice

AUN News is committed to promoting social justice and grassroots advocacy. We focus on Democracy, Civil Rights, Labour, Migration, and Trafficking Issues to raise awareness and stimulate change in our communities.

Fact-Based Reporting

Our dedication to fact-based reporting ensures that readers receive accurate information to make informed decisions about issues that affect their lives. We strive for integrity and transparency in all our reports.

Connect with AUN News

Join us today to start receiving our informative content. Stay updated on vital issues and become part of the AUN News community. Engage with others, share your opinions, and contribute to discussions that impact society.

Our Mission

At AUN News, we strive to build a more inclusive world. We support businesses, policymakers, civil society, and international news outlets in championing inclusive policies and achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Our mission is to ensure everyone has a voice in the policy-making process.

Why AUN News Exists

We are driven by a belief in inclusiveness and the Sustainable Development Goals. AUN News amplifies marginalized voices in the policy-making process, recognizing their vital role in shaping effective policies. We are the broadcasting arm of the Advocacy Unified Network, headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands, with offices in New York, Durban, London, and Singapore.

Laws governing transgender people in Pakistan are in danger

Date:

Laws governing transgender people in Pakistan are in danger

  • News by AUN News correspondent
  • AUN News – ISSN: 2949-8090

Summary:

Pakistani lawmakers have voiced opposition to a landmark law defending the rights of transgender people. They claim that it violates both the constitution and Islam. Senator Mushtaq Ahmed described it as “a forced, imported, anti-Islam,anti-Quran legislation”. The Act does not mention homosexuality, according to doctor Sana Yasir. Senators from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the right-wing Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-Fazl) have expressed concern and opposition to the 2018 act.

The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), the primary religious advisory body, has also referred to it as unIslamic law. Ahmed’s plan suggests creating a gender reassignment medical board in each district, including a male and female general surgeon, a psychologist, and a top medical officer. The trans community has flatly rejected the idea of creating a medical board. Transphobia was “contained, but it is out in the open,” according to Rai. Mughal claims that “more conspicuous trans activists” like her are becoming increasingly frightened.

She receives many texts from unknown senders who refer to her as a “guy”. Moon Chaudhary, a resident of Lahore, concurred: “There is a backlash”. Rana Ahmed, a transgender rights activist in Pakistan, says the 2018 law’s opposition campaign caused “irreparable damage” to the transgender movement. Still, she is convinced that JI’s recently introduced bill was only intended to stir up a fuss and will never become law.

It has taken four years for confident lawmakers to voice their opposition to a landmark law defending the rights of transgender people, claiming that it violates both the constitution and Islam.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, a Pakistani politician affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), who is leading the campaign, described it as “a forced, imported, anti-Islam, anti-Quran legislation.” He told IPS from Peshawar that the West is attacking the two most important institutions of the Muslim Ummah, the family and marriage, to undermine us and that doing so will “open the route” for homosexuality and same-sex unions.

Ahmed claimed that for the past four years, the government has been “shamelessly advancing the agenda of Europe and America,” referring to this as “culture terrorism,” with the assistance of non-governmental organisations.

Other lawmakers have also added their voices to the discussion. For instance, PTI senator Mohsin Aziz said that transgender persons were homosexuals and that “Qaum-e Loot” referred to homosexuality that the inhabitants of Sodom had first popularised. He said, “The longer we delay atonement, the longer God’s anger will be upon us. He is one of those who recently put up changes to the law.

Using religion to inflame people’s emotions “sets a dangerous precedent,” cautioned transgender activist Shahzadi Rai of Karachi. “Spare us; our community is powerless to resist.”

In addition to stating that “although we do not support homosexuality,” Rai pleaded for the matter not to be viewed through the “prism of religion.”

The Act does not mention homosexuality, according to doctor Sana Yasir, who specialises in gender diversity and physical variety and provides gender-affirming healthcare services.

According to Anis Haroon, commissioner for the National Commission for Human Rights, which participated in consultations on the Act and wholeheartedly supported it, “right-wing politicians need such topics to keep their politics alive.”

Ahmed proposed some changes to the Act last year. Earlier this month, he unveiled a brand-new measure for protecting those he called “born with birth deformities in the genitalia,” or “khunsa,” according to the Arabic term. The Act will apply to the entire nation and go into effect immediately if passed.

A person who possesses a “mixture of male and female genital traits or congenital ambiguity” is described as a khunsa in the proposed legislation. Depending on the certification from a medical board, the person will have the option to register as either a man or a female.

“After the old law was passed, I researched it for at least two years and had discussions with numerous jurists, including those from other countries, as well as with physicians and religious professors. Ahmed defended his position and explained why it took him four years to object to legislation approved by a two-thirds majority in the Senate and the Parliament. “Based on the information acquired, I came up with revisions to the 2018 bill,” Ahmed said. He has also submitted a petition opposing the 2018 Act to the Federal Shariat Court.

Parliamentarians from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the right-wing Jamiat Ulema Islam (JUI-Fazl) have also expressed concern and opposition to the 2018 act.

Fauzia Arshad, a senator for the PTI, told IPS that “Allah has merely stated sons and daughters in the Quran; there is no reference of another gender.” Additionally, he has offered amendments to the Senate’s human rights standing committee.

The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), the primary religious advisory body in the nation, has also referred to it as unIslamic law.

Speaking to IPS from Islamabad, Dr Qibla Ayaz, chairman of the Council of Islamic Ideology, said, “We recognise the rights of the transgender people provided in the 2018 Act, but when it transgresses beyond biology and psychology and sociology come into play, we have misgivings.” He added that the council was never contacted throughout the measure discussion.

A person’s innermost and unique sense of self as male, female, a blend of both, or neither, which can correlate or not with the sex assigned at birth, is described as gender identity by the law rather than gender. It also refers to gender expression, which is how someone presents their own gender identity or the gender that others perceive them to be. Gender, on the other hand, is defined by JI as “a person’s expression as per his or her sex, which is not different from the sex assigned to him or her at the time of birth or as per the advice of a medical board.”

Ahmed stated, “We do not believe in a person’s self-perceived gender identity and are calling for a medical board to be established to determine that.

Arshad supported this: “A medical board should decide a person’s sex based on where they urinate.”

“The Qur’an does not support self-perception of what one wants to be rather than what one is born as.”

Ayaz stated, “CII has some concerns about the self-perceived identity.

Ahmed’s plan suggests creating a gender reassignment medical board in each district, which would include a professor doctor, a male and a female general surgeon, a psychologist, and a top medical officer, to distinguish “genuine from false” transgender people.

He stated that if a person has a psychological illness or gender dysphoria, any sex reassignment operation to replace the genitalia will be forbidden. This was Arshad’s opinion as well.

A medical board can provide people with personality tests and blood work to assist them in determining their gender identity. According to Yasir, they can offer non-medical and medical interventions to lessen the severity of gender dysphoria.

She argued that the board could not disregard someone’s “experienced gender.”

Yasir said there was no mention of a geneticist, a psychiatrist, or anyone with transgender health training on the board.

According to healthcare specialists, establishing medical boards across Pakistan’s 160 districts is practically impossible. Genetic testing (from outside), expensive for a country with limited resources like Pakistan, is required for the complex problem and careful diagnosis by a few specialists.

The trans community has flatly rejected the idea of creating a medical board.

Bindya Rana, a transgender activist based in Karachi and the head of the Gender Interactive Alliance, declared, “We would never let anyone examine us” (GIA). We are aware of who we are, just as the men and women of this nation are.

If this discussion has accomplished anything, it is to legitimise and promote transphobia.

According to Reem Sharif, a trans activist living in Islamabad, “harassment, discrimination, and violence have grown due to the negative messaging spearheaded by Jamat-e-Islami.”

“One transgender person was killed a week ago. The alleged murderer is currently in custody, but he admitted to the authorities that he was engaged in jihad because killing transgender people would ensure his immediate entry into heaven. He is confident in his release and will complete the task, Rai stated.

She also remembered the awful assault two weeks ago on three well-known transwomen in Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. She claimed they were shot multiple times, but fortunately, they all lived. The incident caused panic and dread in the neighbourhood. Transphobia was “contained, but it is out in the open,” according to Rai.

Moon Chaudhary, a resident of Lahore, concurred: “There is a backlash.” “A few trans people have publicly harassed ten days ago in an upscale area of Lahore. They were forcedly stripped down, their gender was inquired about, and then they were raped,” she claimed.

Mughal claims that “more conspicuous trans activists” like her are becoming increasingly frightened. “Bullying is occurring, and threats are being made in the open. She receives many texts from unknown senders who refer to her as a “guy,” which is “mental agony.”

Rai said she feared for her life since she actively engaged in debates hosted by clerics and defended the law on numerous TV stations. I’ve warned my flatmates to be watchful and use extra caution when inviting their buddies in since I’m concerned.

Activists for transgender people are also engaged in battle in cyberspace.

“I’m being misgendered on national television, and the same videos are subsequently circulated on social media and become extremely popular. I’m accused of pretending to be a woman while being a man, Mughal remarked. She claimed that some create a “dangerous precedent” by inciting people to wage jihad against them.

Online harassment is hurting Rai’s mental health, she said. “I believed I was strong and would be able to take it,” Rai said. For instance, 600 of the 900 comments on a social media video clip were insulting. Some called for her to be murdered or set on fire, which was brutal. She said, “Vulgar statements are attached to my images and distributed.”

Rana acknowledged that the 2018 law’s opposition campaign caused “irreparable damage” to the transgender movement. Still, she is convinced that JI’s recently introduced bill was only intended to stir up a fuss and will never become law.

She mourned, “Everything we worked for all these years has been for nothing. Rana stated that even though the law forbade discrimination against transgender people seeking employment, healthcare, education, or other opportunities, “we never benefited on any score” aside from the ability to change the name and gender on identification documents like a passport, driver’s licence, and national identity card. Even that was a significant victory for us,” she remarked. The gender of about 28,000 transsexual people was changed. However, that right is now in jeopardy as well.

Ahmed vowed he would keep fighting. He cautioned, saying: “It’s a ticking time bomb! If the khunsa law finds no takers, we will take it to the Supreme Court of Pakistan and launch street protests!”

Analysis by: Advocacy Unified Network

Share post:

Subscribe

spot_imgspot_img

Popular

More like this
Related

Trump’s Return: A Shift in Global Dynamics

News by AUN News correspondent Friday, November 07, 2024 AUN News –...

AUN Advances Regional Cooperation and Urban Sustainability in November 2024

News by AUN News correspondent Friday, November 01, 2024 AUN News –...

Preserving History: Shivaji Maharaj’s Artifacts Take Center Stage in New Delhi

News by AUN News Editorial desk Saturday, October 26, 2024 AUN...