Odisha Varsities, Colleges Directed to Ensure Safety of Transgender Community

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government directed all degree colleges and universities in the state to follow an advisory issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to safeguard students belonging to the transgender community from any kind of violence and sexual abuse.

The State Higher Education Department issued a notification to the registrars of all universities and principals of degree colleges regarding it along with a copy of the advisory of the NHRC for ensuring the welfare of the Transgender students at their campus.

The notification stated, “The educational institutions are requested to protect gender-nonconforming students from bullying harassment or other form of violence in their respective jurisdictions.”

The Department directed the authorities to form monitoring committee cells at all the colleges and universities to address the issues of prejudices, discrimination, sexual abuse, and other violence against transgender persons.

The NHRC has also recommended all educational institutions to have Uni-sex toilets or rest rooms to provide gender neutral facilities on the premises.