All work, less pay push ASHAs in Kashmir into protest mode

All_work_less_pay_push_ASHAs_in_Kashmir_into_protest_mode

<div class="embed-container" align="center"></div><div class="embed-container" align="center" style="text-align: left; line-height: 1.6;">Fahim Mattoo &amp; Sadaf ShabirSocial taboo
prevents them easy access to relief aid in times of floods and earthquakes, but
the close-knit community tries to tide over bad times by helping each otherSrinagar, Jammu and
Kashmir: “I feel abandoned by the
government. It has been two months since my house was damaged in an&nbsp;<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"><a href="https://kashmirobserver.net/2023/03/21/magnitude-6-6-earthquake-rocks-kashmir/">earthquake</a>,&nbsp;but
I have not received any sort of relief. I go to the district office every day,
but always come back empty-handed. Now, I stay with the members of my community.
The cost of house repair is so high that it is beyond my means.”A transgender person hailing from north Kashmir, <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Simran Lone (30)&nbsp;left home 17 years
ago in search of a sense of belonging. Success meant having a place that can be
called home, and to make that a reality, Lone strived like never before. <o:p></o:p>Performing at weddings and stashing away every penny earned had been
top on the agenda until that day in 2020 when Lone finally managed to buy a
three-room house worth Rs 10 lakh at Habba Kadal in downtown Srinagar. However,
the sense of joy and pride did not last long as the massive earthquake hit the
region on March 21 this year.&nbsp;<o:p></o:p>Now, only a major repair can remedy the cracks on the walls and
ceiling. “I called a carpenter to assess the damage, and <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">he gave me an estimate of
Rs 1.50 lakh! I was shocked to no end,” Lone exclaimed. <o:p></o:p>Forget accessing financial and material aid in the event of natural
disasters, even getting credit for repair works is a mammoth task for the transgender
community members. This fact is accentuated by their limited exposure to
government schemes and employment opportunities.<o:p></o:p> Like Lone, <span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Zoya Khan (27)&nbsp;from Srinagar knows first-hand the difficulties of navigating through a
disaster. During the 2014 floods, Khan was unable to access relief aid due to the
unique gender identity. For
almost 15 days, the ground floor of Khan's home was under water.&nbsp;To survive, relying on the community members was the only option, besides one's own resourcefulness.<o:p></o:p> “I have experienced prejudice and marginalisation my entire life,
but a disaster makes it even more challenging to meet food, housing and medical
needs. In times of crisis, we must strive to create a more inclusive society
that considers the concerns of marginalised people.” <o:p></o:p> Khan said even distribution of food packets during floods reeked
of discrimination. “Those&nbsp;packets were meant for anyone in need, but we were marginalised
to such an extent that we were prevented from utilising the resource. No one should be left behind in times of crisis,” pleaded the trans person, who is determined to build a better
future by dancing at weddings.</div><div class="embed-container" align="center" style="line-height: 1;"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/5/101RPT1639128/3.jpg" id="1654090" title="" style="width: 100%;">(Above) A 2014 file photo of rescued persons from flood-ravaged Jammu &amp; Kashmir being airlifted to safety by Indian Air Force; (below) An aerial view of flood affected regions of Jammu &amp; Kashmir (Photos - Wikimedia Commons)</div><div class="embed-container" align="center"><img src="https://assets.ramen.101reporters.com/inpic/2023/5/101RPT1639128/2.jpg" id="1654091" title="" style="width: 100%;"></div><div class="embed-container" align="center"> </div><div class="embed-container" align="center" style="text-align: left; line-height: 1.6;">The
feeling of being left behind during the COVID-19 crisis is still fresh in the mind of&nbsp;<span style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">Khushi Mir (26).
“The pandemic period has been extremely tough on me. As a trans person, I
already face a lot of discrimination and challenges in my daily life. With the lockdown
imposed, I was unable to work as a singer or dancer, which were my usual
sources of income. So, I had no choice but to work as a labourer,” Mir said,
recounting how the harsh work environment caused sunburn.However, finding strength from that bitter experience, Mir created
a volunteer group and raised money through crowdfunding to help the needy transgender persons. In fact, the idea to launch the group came about after a friend made a
desperate plea for food&nbsp;during the pandemic.&nbsp;“We <span style="font-family: Charter; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">were
a group of five trying our best to reach as many transgender people as possible. We <span style="font-family: Charter; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; font-size: 20px;">had a list of 400 with
us, and were slowly providing food kits to all of them in those tough times." Dr Aijaz Ahmad Bund, an LGBTQIA rights activist and author of Hijras of Kashmir: A Marginalized Form of
Personhood, identified rejection by families, discrimination, and inability
to reconcile with their religion and sexuality/gender identity as the biggest
challenges before the LGBTQIA Muslim community. For transgender persons, there are additional challenges such as shelter,
livelihood, health, and accessing socio-religious spaces in times of disaster. “Inclusion of individuals from this cross-section of society in
policy-making related to disaster management is crucial in creating a
gender-sensitive framework,” he suggested.<o:p></o:p> <span style="font-size: 16pt; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Asked how the government planned to meet the needs of the transgender community, Kulbhushan Kumar, Director of Finance, Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction, told 101Reporters that the disaster management guidelines were the same for all individuals. “If transgender people become victims or face discrimination during a disaster, they should directly contact the deputy commissioner for assistance. While documentation may take time, it is essential that we prioritise accountability and justice for all members of the society," he said..<o:p></o:p> <span style="font-size: 20px; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;">Much like disasters, environmental degradation and pollution have a significant impact
on the physical and mental health of transgender persons. Access to clean water and
air is a significant challenge, especially for individuals who already face
social exclusion. Disasters can also disrupt hormone therapy and allied medical
treatments.<o:p></o:p>The impact of climate change on the global economy can also have
a disproportionate effect on transgender people. For example, they are more likely to
work in low paid, precarious jobs that are vulnerable to disruptions in supply
chains or other economic consequences of climate change. As for Lone, Khan and Mir, their monthly income fluctuates around Rs 5,000-10,000.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to a recent report by the Human Rights Campaign
Foundation, transgender individuals are more likely to <a href="https://www.hrc.org/">experience</a> poverty, violence and discrimination
than the general population. They may be denied education, healthcare and employment
opportunities, and forced to live in isolation or engage in risky activities to
survive. &nbsp;<o:p></o:p> Dr Aijaz said the transgender community of
Kashmir is a small and close-knit group that provides emotional and
psychological support to each other. However, in times of disasters, they have
to rely on external support. And this is where the problem lies. As Kulbhushan
Kumar aptly pointed out, disasters do
not discriminate and neither should our response.&nbsp; Edited by Rekha PulinnoliCover photo -&nbsp;A transgender person hailing from north Kashmir, Simran Lone had saved every penny towards buying a home in Srinagar, but itwas damaged in the tremors of March this year (Photo sourced by Fahim Mattoo and&nbsp;Sadaf Shabir, 101Reporters)<o:p></o:p></div>