| Project Detail |
Project Name Providing Inclusive Services to Transgender Populations in Dhaka and Sylhet
Project Number 57016-001
Country / Economy Bangladesh
Project Status Approved
Project Type / Modality of Assistance Technical Assistance
The technical assistance (TA) for Providing Inclusive Services to Transgender Populations in Dhaka and Sylhet aims to strengthen the capacity of the Department of Social Services (DSS) under the Ministry of Social Welfare (MOSW) in developing and delivering specialized services for transgender people or individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. This TA will provide capacity development support to the National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) to improve transgender peoples access to educational services and Bangladesh Bank to improve transgender peoples access to financial inclusion. It will also engage policymakers and the Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education (DSHE) under the Ministry of Education in policy dialogue for supportive laws, acts, and policies.
Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy
In 2013, the decision of the Government of Bangladesh to reflect the presence of the hijra people in national identification documents and censuses was the first step toward the legal recognition of transgender people in Bangladesh. Since 2013, the Government of Bangladesh has undertaken several progressive steps to enhance the social protection of people with diverse gender identities (footnote 1). However, while the government recognizes the constitutional rights of transgender people, barriers to their inclusion persist. These include (i) lack of sufficient data on transgender people to determine the basic services and social assistance needed, (ii) lack of laws or policies prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity, and (iii) limited government capacity to provide basic services for transgender people.
ADB-assisted knowledge and support TA (KSTA) is needed to address these problems, given the governments limited capacity (competencies and resources) to promote the inclusion of transgender populations. The recognition of the economic rights of people with diverse gender identities and expressions is gaining ground worldwide, and the Government of Bangladesh is committed to supporting the transgender population. Still, it needs capacity development for strengthened actions and well-designed future-related investments.
Impact
Availability and accessibility of education, health, employment, and legal services for transgender people enhanced |
