17 November 2019, Kathmandu
One day workshop with teachers group on LGBTI issue has conducted in Kathmandu on Saturday. The program which was organized by Mitini Nepal and supported by FJS (Foundation for just society) kicks off with the introduction session of participants of different schools from Kathmandu. Pursuing the workshop, executive director of Mitini Nepal, Sarita K.C. formally introduced Mitini Nepal as an organization conducting policy level advocacy, capacity building training, and awareness campaigns for enhancing LGBTI issues. “Though some terms related to homosexual community have been mentioned under reproductive health and diversity of health and physical subject but there is still lack of enough explanation on them.”-she added. She further stressed on that it is completely wrong to define gender identity on basis of sex because sexual orientation may be identified at any time. However, Nepal is regarded as one of the most progressive countries in Asia to recognize LGBTI rights such community is still struggling for their identity as calls for equal rights. K.C. also trained the participants regarding what LGBTI community belongs to. In between participants were asked to fill their views on a questionnaire sheet provided by the organization.
Speaking on the program, founder president of Mitini Nepal, Laxmi Ghalan shared the struggling movement of the organization establishment to end all the discrimination against LGBTI community. Ghalan also urged that LGBTI community is not asking for separate right but for equal right as others that guarantees their protection, empowerment and advancement. During the session, lesbian Swastika Pariyar, Transman Biswal Neupane and another lesbian Monika Tamang have shared their struggling story and experience demanding a call for non-discriminatory laws including equal right to education. They also strongly urged on the involvement of LGBTI issues while developing the school curriculum. In the program, meta card were also distributed to take the views of the participants on how to include the LGBTI issues on the curriculum and up to which grade along with the subject specified at school. Some participants have also shared their experience on the related issues so far. They have also urged on equal contribution from the heterogeneous community too comprising educators, researchers, journalists, literary figures and most importantly film makers while using terminologies that carries negative connotation.
