Relief Packages for Transgender Youth in Pakistan

We are a community-based group of transgender people working in the southern Punjab region of Pakistan. Transgender persons continue to experience discrimination at the hands of service providers and staff across social protection and health care settings and social security safety nets, leaving these individuals poorer and more vulnerable, especially in times of limited resources.

Many transgender people lost their main sources of income due to COVID-19 related closures. Paired with existing socio-economic marginalization and health conditions, the pandemic has created a situation in which more trans people live in a state of invisible multi-dimensional vulnerability and compromised health. Most trans individuals are either living in temporary residences with other transgender persons in cramped, unsafe conditions or are alone in disparate locations other than their childhood homes and neighborhoods.

We have provided relief packages and ran awareness campaigns regarding COVID-19 for a number of transgender people living in the region. Most trans-community members are semi- or poorly-educated, meaning there are often serious gaps in understanding the written information and precautionary guidelines in regard to the pandemic. In response, we created an in-person, community awareness mechanism to share information on COVID-19 prevention and response.

During our interactions with trans community members, we also performed a needs assessment, finding that many transgender people are unable to pay their rent and utility bills due to their loss of income. As such, with your donation, we plan to provide both food/nutrition packages and rent relief.