Tag: Socioeconomic Inclusion

Quote: The scholarship will offer needs-based support for one or more of the following: Tuition fees (partial / full amount), basic academic necessities, expenses for travel, accommodation, meals, necessary tools for learning (for candidates opting for vocational training) and other incidental costs that act as hidden barriers preventing students from accessing and continuing education (subject to a specific maximum amount per person in a year). It will provide support for queer and trans inclusion in educational institutions, academic continuity, skill-based training for livelihood, and pathways into dignified employment.

Vartanama Nov '25

New Dawn Queer-Trans Education Scholarship Programme

By Varta Economic Inclusion Mentoring Forum

Excerpts from the concept note of Varta Trust’s formal and vocational education scholarship programme for socioeconomically disadvantaged queer-trans Individuals in West Bengal

This is an early evening mid-range shot of around 14 trans masculine and other queer persons associated with the Samarth trans collective of Odisha standing behind a large rainbow pride flag during the ‘Puri Rainbow Pride Walk’ held on June 13, 2023. The flag is held at chest level across several of the walkers. Some of them are also holding posters with Odia and English text or small rainbow pride flags. They are all smiles as they look at the camera, and exude happiness. A number of other walk participants can be seen behind them. In the background, to the left, are several buildings, while to the right are some more buildings, a couple of palm trees, and a handful of open sky. Photo courtesy SAATHII

Vartanama Nov '23

Dreams and demands

By Bana, Pawan Dhall

Trans masculine individuals in Odisha are speaking up louder about their aspirations for the future – Bana shares a wish list with ‘Varta’ – hopefully most of it will come...

This illustration is a combination of a photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph is a display of a set of four tote bags made with cloth in combinations of bright colours like pink, blue, maroon, green and yellow. The fabric of the bags is sourced locally from Manipur. The bags have a vertical rectangular shape and have long handles made with thick cloth for ease of hanging the bag from one’s shoulder. The bags have a label made with thick paper clipped on one corner just below the handle – the label carries the name Matai Makes and provides details of Matai Society’s livelihood initiative to support the internally displaced people in Manipur. The accompanying text says: “The more prolonged the communal tension in the state, the longer will it take for normalcy to return in Manipur. This is where livelihood initiatives can play a crucial role because they help prioritize issues of survival and economic sustenance. Livelihood initiatives like those of Matai Society hold out the hope for a much larger process of self-reliance, recovery and healing in the state. This means that agencies like Matai Society and their partner organizations also need to sustain themselves.” Photo credit: Matai Society

Happenings, Manipur Relief Nov '23

Livelihood route to healing and recovery in Manipur

By Matai Society

Trans and queer youth are working out innovations to revive livelihood options for the internally displaced in Manipur. Matai Society urges you to join in

This illustration is a combination of a photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph is of a large blackboard with a light brown wooden frame. At the lower edge of the blackboard, the wooden frame has a ledge on which some chalk and a duster are placed. Text extracted from the accompanying article has been placed on the blackboard image in a typeface to simulate the image of text written with white chalk on a blackboard. The text says: “What can discussions on sexuality in a classroom do? I believe that when we confront sexual difference in the classroom, we learn to understand and respect diversity. Queer perspectives and narratives of pride and suffering open a space not just for acceptance but critical self-understanding. Queer lives are so precarious that even a space bound by a timetable can be liberating. Being acknowledged and validated in a classroom may engender a hope to survive outside it, and sometimes, it is survival that is at stake.” Blackboard image courtesy Cliparts.co via ‘Wikimedia Commons’

Insight, Vartanama Aug '23

For that sliver of hope

By Zaid Al Baset

Making educational institutions inclusive spaces for everyone is an uphill battle, but Zaid Al Baset is not giving up yet – his forecasts on inclusion as ‘Varta’ completes 10 years

Vartanama Jul '23

Tensions of the past and future

By Pawan Dhall

An imperfect digest of ‘Varta’ webzine’s journey through a decade of climaxes, anti-climaxes, and explorations for a social G-spot

This graphic is a combination of a photograph and text extracted from the accompanying article. The photograph shows a scene from a Woolworths outlet in Johannesburg. Two mannequins clad in t-shirts, jeans and shoes stand next to rows of t-shirts and other clothes. One of the mannequins stands on a pedestal, with a long rainbow pride flag hanging behind it, and a poster in the forefront that says: “Be an ally – celebrating Pride 2023”. The extract of text says: “Pride isn’t about stating that we’re good enough to be accepted a month in a year. Pride is about making sure we’re accepted each and every day all through the year. Corporates play a big role in making that happen. However, when we will see performative allyship, we will call you out and remind you exactly how we contribute to your market. Because not only does our money matter – we matter too.” Photo credit: Debjyoti Ghosh

Insight, Vartanama Jun '23

Show us what pride is really all about

By Debjyoti Ghosh

Debjyoti Ghosh calls upon corporates to demonstrate stronger allyship that transcends anti-queer social and political pressures

This graphic is a combination of a photograph and text. The photograph is a close-up shot of a poster being held up by a participant at the ‘19th Kolkata Rainbow Pride Walk’ held on December 18, 2022. In large white-on-black letters, the poster says: “Trans is not meant to be tokenized”. The participant is not visible in the photograph but their hands holding the poster can be seen. The text accompanying the photograph says: “It was argued that even if one person has been issued a transgender identity card, then under Article 14 of the Constitution, the principles of justice and equality imply that all other persons who have applied for the identity card must also be issued such cards by the relevant government authorities. The court has upheld these principles and has directed the state government to address all the applications pending till date.” Photo credit: Kaushik Gupta

Happenings, Policy Matters Jan '23

Judicial fillip to transgender rights once again

By Pawan Dhall

Calcutta High Court has given the Government of West Bengal a month to clear the long-pending backlog on transgender identity certification in the state

Quote: The right to be recognized in one’s own name, the right to one’s bodily autonomy, the right to be a citizen in one’s own gender identity are basic rights in any functioning democracy. Despite the rich, albeit mired, history of transgender identities, and their inclusion and exclusion, in the Indian subcontinent, today, we are dealing with an issue that can make or break people. It can give transgender people the freedom to fly and claim each and every right possible in their own identity, or else it can entwine their lives into a bureaucratic nightmare.

Insight, Vartanama Oct '22

Trans identities lost in a bureaucratic haze

By Debjyoti Ghosh

Why does West Bengal have such a poor rate of transgender identity certification? Debjyoti Ghosh raises pertinent questions

This illustration shows a copy of the reply received from the LIC against the application filed by queer couple Suchandra Das and Sree Mukherjee under the RTI Act, 2005. The couple had asked if it was possible for them to nominate anyone who was not related to them by birth, consanguinity, marriage or adoption as a nominee for their insurance policies. The reply clearly states that there is no illegality in nominating any person, including a stranger or a legal entity. This part of the reply has been highlighted in the illustration in red colour. The reply also has details pertaining to other minor queries filed in the RTI application. The reply, dated April 26, 2022, is printed on the official letterhead of the LIC and carries details such as the name and signature of the LIC official concerned and the address of the LIC office in Delhi. The residential address of Suchandra Das and Sree Mukherjee has been redacted for reasons of confidentiality. Copy of reply courtesy Suchandra Das and Sree Mukherjee

Advice - Rights and Laws Oct '22

Clearing the mist on banking and insurance nomination rules

By Kaushik Gupta

Queer individuals in India can designate their partners or friends as nominees and successors for their bank accounts and insurance policies. Kaushik Gupta elaborates

Insight, Policy Matters Sep '22

Challenges in meeting queer community needs during the COVID-19 pandemic

By Susanta Pramanik, Jia Mata, Pawan Dhall

Excerpts from an analysis of the role played by community based organizations in working with queer people in India during the COVID-19 crisis and the challenges faced by the organizations