Waymark Foundation & Turnstone Global Organise a Seminar on “Disability & Transgender – A Socio Legal Perspective”
New Delhi: Waymark Invincible Foundation, a career counselling foundation with an aim to provide help to students to realise and achieve their educational and professional goals and Turnstone Global jointly organised a seminar on “Disability & Transgender — A Socio Legal Perspective” today at Mahajati Sadan in Kolkata.
The objective of this seminar was to highlight different challenges and legal provisions relating to persons with disability and the transgender community from socio-legal perspective and explore possible means to overcome such problems. For example- The Persons with Disability (PWD) Act has been into existence for quite some time, but little is known to the common man about the rights and provisions for the disabled; similarly, the honourable Supreme Court recognising the transgender as a third gender in a land mark judgement way back in April 2014.
Mr. Jayanta Ghosh, Founder & CEO, Waymark Invincible Foundation said, “We at Waymark Foundation, strongly believe that being a disabled or a transgender cannot deprive an individual from enjoying basic rights of a citizen. Society should embrace the transgender and disabled, treating them on equal terms with other citizens. In near future with the support of Turnstone Global we would reach out to the disabled, transgender and less privileged students, to make them realise that career counselling would enhance their aspirations to succeed in life and make them confident about how to achieve goals to lead a better life. However, there is a need of drive to be pushed within the country in order to bring career counselling a topic of major concern. Our aim is not just to provide academic support but to help candidates groom up as accomplished individuals with a view to help those who are in conflict regarding educational choices and decisions.”
Among the eminent speakers present at the seminar were – Justice Shyamal Kumar Sen, Former Governor, West Bengal & Former Chief Justice, Allahabad High Court who was present as the Chief Guest, Shri Debabrata Chattaraj, State Commissioner for the person with Disabilities; Dr. Bishnupada Nanda, HOD, Department of Education, Jadavpur University; Dr. Samita Sen, Dean, School of Women’s Studies, Jadavpur University; Subodh Sarkar, Eminent Poet; Ms. Alokananda Roy, Eminent Danseuse; Dr. Manabi Bandyopadhyay, India’s First transgender College Principal; Mr. Jayanta Ghosh, Founder & CEO, Waymark Foundation and Dr. Kanchan Gaba, Secretary, Turnstone Global.
Smt. Alokananda Roy mentioned her several encounters where she witnessed the talents of persons belonging to the transgender community as well as the disabled in the fields of art and culture. She also mentioned the lack of opportunity to foster talents of such persons. She also mentioned that in many cases, such talented persons are seen separately from the mainstream artists, thus making them secluded instead of mainstreaming them.
Dr. Kanchan Gaba commented, “We have been engaged in ensuring rights and providing comprehensive empowerment to the less privileged brothers and sisters of the society for over two decades. The Organisation is willing to walk the extra mile and face every challenge to achieve this position in society for the transgender. Though the judgement was a significant step in 2014, not much has been done to create awareness about such laws which ensures rights, privileges and provisions of persons with disability and also the transgender community. As a responsible NGO working for both the transgender community and the disabled, it is the responsibility of Turnstone Global to create awareness about such issues and make an impact on society. A seminar of this nature will definitely increase the awareness level in all corners of the society. We are thankful to Waymark Foundation for coming forward to help us. These efforts will surely help us to go a long way.”