Achi news desk-
GUWAHATI: The central government has set up a six-member committee to investigate and suggest solutions to various issues affecting the queer community, following a Supreme Court ruling last October.
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The court’s decision came after it discussed matters concerning same-sex marriage and called on the government to establish a committee that would respond to the needs of the queer community.
The outline in the announcement published by the Ministry of Justice and Justice on Tuesday, the committee was assigned a comprehensive mandate.
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Its main goal is to devise strategies that ensure that queer people are not subjected to discrimination, violence or involuntary medical interventions, among other pressing concerns.
The committee will be led by the Secretary of the Government of the Union, with the Secretary of the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment acting as convener.
In addition, the members will include secretaries from the Ministries of the Interior, Women and Child Development, Health and Family Welfare and the Law and Justice Legislation Department.
The committee is authorized to recruit the expertise of other professionals and officers as needed.
Among the issues the committee is tasked with investigating and recommending are measures to eliminate discrimination in access to goods, services and social benefits for queer people, strategies to protect against violence, harassment and coercion, ensuring freedom from involuntary medical interventions or surgeries, and developing modules to address mental health needs of queer people.
In its ruling from October, the Supreme Court rejected the claim to legalize same-sex marriage, arguing that the right to marry is not a fundamental right and falls under the authority of legislative regulation in accordance with social norms.
However, recognizing the challenges facing same-sex couples, the court ordered the government to establish a high-powered committee to thoroughly examine all relevant factors concerning the queer community.
Furthermore, the court emphasized the importance of extensive consultations with stakeholders, particularly people from marginalized groups within the queer community, before making a final decision.
