Visakhapatnam: As transgender persons continue to experience discrimination and harassment in society, the need to address their issues and empower them was brought to the fore at a sensitisation programme organised at Zilla Parishad High School, Chandrampalem.

Sharing his views, regional joint education officer B Vijay Bhaskar emphasised that the services of the community could be utilised for the larger good of the society and help them bring them into the mainstream.

The sensitisation programme was organised by Nee Thodu Society led by P Amitha. It aimed at sensitising both students and teachers about the community and the challenges they face.

Explaining their woes, Amitha said that for long, transgender community has been discriminated against and marginalised due to narrow-mindedness of the people and lack of awareness about the community.

“Lack of understanding about the community leads to discrimination, forcing transgender people to run away from their families, dropout of the school to engage in activities like begging and sex work for their survival,” she stressed. Further, Amitha emphasised that teachers play a crucial role in educating students so that the community would be treated with respect and dignity. Principal of ZPHS, Chandrampalem Gotteti Ravi, appreciated the activities carried out by the society that aim at not just empowering the transgender community but also help them lead a dignified life.