Empowering the Marginalized: A Developmental Review of the Transgender Livelihoods

Transgender people in India facing severe social stigma, legal invisibility and systemic exclusion from traditional socio-economic systems. Even after the Supreme Court’s NALSA judgment in 2014 that legally recognised transgender people as ‘third gender’, the community has been mired with inadequate access to education, formal employment, healthcare, and entitlements. Though the state is one of the few states in the country that has a transgender welfare policy in place, Karnataka has a long way to go in terms of addressing transgender issues. The present paper is based on the finding that transgender are largely invisible as an economic group and face livelihood difficulties and challenges, economic interventions and a policy intervention is something that trans population forms a unique group. It is a review of secondary data and policy documents exploring how the economic empowerment of transgender persons is undermined by structural barriers, discrimination, and gaps in policy implementation. Key findings identify high levels of unemployment, low literacy, poor access to healthcare and limited involvement in skill development programmes. The paper advocates a developmental model, which combines inclusive policy formulations, community participation and targeted interventions. Recommendations include enhancing the capacities of local transgender welfare boards, increasing accessibility of vocational training and credit, and sensitizing service providers in all sectors. This article argues for transitioning from welfare-focused to empowerment-focused models that prioritize dignity, equity, and sustainable livelihoods for transgender people in the region.