Transgenders in Pune pledge to donate their eyes

Over 100 transgenders have pledged to donate their eyes after their deaths.

A Pune-based non-governmental organisation, Late Shankarrao Bhoi Smruti Pratishthan, has been able to encourage more than 15000 people to fill up eye donation forms in the last 15 years.

On Thursday, they managed to encourage 127 eunuchs to pledge to donate their eyes.

Transgender Panna Gabrel said:"If males and females can do this (donate eyes), then why can't our community do this? We also want to do something for the nation. This is why members of our community have come together to donate eyes."

Bhoi Foundation president Milind Bhoi said more than 700,000 people are visually-impaired in India and in need of an eye transplant.

"If we start volunteering for eye donations, even if one person donates his eyes, it can help two visually-impaired people. Eye donation is like a service to god. I feel that people should come forward for eye donations, especially celebrities such as film stars, politicians and sportsmen since they have many followers," said Bhoi.

The Supreme Court in April recognised India's long marginalised transgender community as a third gender and, in a landmark judgment lauded by human rights groups, called on the government to ensure their equal treatment.

There are hundreds of thousands of transgenders in India, say activists, but because they are not legally recognised, they are ostracised, discriminated against, abused and often forced into prostitution.

The court ruling - which came after hearing a petition filed by a group of transgenders demanding equal rights - recognised the community as a marginalised group and directed authorities to implement policies to improve their socio-economic status.

Due to their lack of access to jobs and education, many male-to-female transgenders - also known as "hijras" - are forced to work as sex workers or move around in organised groups begging or demanding money.

Hate crimes in the conservative country are common, say activists, yet few are reported partly due to a lack of sensitivity by authorities such as the police.