Impact of Climate Change on Transgender and Sex Workers

Reference

According to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change hits the poorest and most vulnerable the hardest. This increases existing inequalities. If targeted policies are not made to reduce their risks and vulnerabilities, poverty and inequality will worsen.

Climate change challenges faced by transgenders and women involved in sex work

• Source of livelihood: Women and transgender people involved in sex work do not have a stable source of income. Many transgenders and women resort to begging or sex work as a source of livelihood. They do not have access to basic facilities.
• Impact on health: Working in difficult conditions like extreme sunlight or heavy rains has a bad effect on their mental and physical health. Despite this, transgenders and sex workers have no other option.
  • Lack of access to health services for the transgender community is a serious concern. Many people in this community are facing high rates of health problems (HIV and other sexually transmitted infections) due to the issue of secrecy.
• Qualification and skills issues: 68% of female sex workers in India have 'voluntarily' taken up this profession, due to low household income and lack of qualifications and skills required for employment. These poor economic conditions reduce the ability of these communities to recover from climate-related problems.
• Linkage with extreme climate events: According to the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), states like Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Bihar may see extreme changes in climate events. Some of these states, such as Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Bihar (after Uttar Pradesh), also have a relatively high population of transgender persons.
  • Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Maharashtra also have a large number of sex workers. Some of them suffer from HIV and hormonal problems. They may respond negatively to extreme temperatures.
  • These groups also have a specific experience of climate change at the socio-cultural level. That is why it is necessary to include them as much as possible in gender-based analysis of climate change.

Ongoing initiatives for transgender and women involved in sex work

• Ongoing efforts to improve the well-being of these groups include the development of World Health Organization guidelines for improving the health of trans and gender diverse people, providing evidence on health sector interventions and guidance for implementation.
• In India, the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019 clarifies the rights of transgender persons in several areas such as education, health and employment and outlines measures to improve their well-being. However, its impact on the ground is minimal.
• The Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) has reported effective efforts implemented by sex worker-led organisations, particularly to increase access to HIV and other health services. It emphasizes the importance of collaboration across all sectors, including government, legal agencies and health care.
• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Humsafar Trust (HST) and the Centre for Sexuality and Health Research and Policy (C-SHARP) have collaborated to improve the situation of the transgender community.
  • It aims to develop an evidence-based and participatory framework to strengthen social welfare schemes and health programmes for transgender people by incorporating community needs and good practices.
• Although efforts are being made to grant legal recognition to these marginalised groups, their access to job opportunities, education, health and social services is very limited. This is due to the low inclusiveness of government policies in welfare schemes and community engagement.
• In India, some trans climate activists are leading efforts to raise awareness about the impact of climate change on their lives and livelihoods.
• The Government of India's Support for Marginalised Individuals and Enterprise (SMILE) scheme aims to provide comprehensive rehabilitation measures for transgender persons and those engaged in begging.
• Some important factors have not received adequate attention. This includes the need for gender-based sanitation facilities, safe shelter and lack of counselling to cope with the aftermath of natural disasters.
• There is a need to create an enabling ecosystem for these communities for inclusive development.
• Identifying the root causes of exclusion of these communities from society, strengthening systems to address violence and discrimination, empowering the community and community health workers, working for their day-to-day well-being regardless of identity and social status will help them.

Way Forward

• Various stakeholders, such as government, civil society and NGOs, must work together to help transgender community and women engaged in sex work adapt to climate change.
• Inclusive policies and social protection can guarantee their access to social services, employment opportunities, health and education.
• Policies and programmes related to the protection of transgender and women engaged in sex work should integrate climate-sensitive features in the face of environmental disasters.
• Awareness campaigns can also be conducted to enhance the protection and empowerment of this community. Similarly, national and local data collection to identify the impacts of climate change-related disasters should be inclusive and include transgender and sex workers.
• Inclusivity will help policymakers and other stakeholders to identify and prioritise appropriate measures and adaptation plans for the transgender community.