From Hiding Identity to Pulling People to Safety: Meet the Transwomen Rescue Squad, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• India's first transgender disaster management and rescue team has been formed in Kolhapur, Maharashtra.
• The Kolhapur District Disaster Management Authority initiated the program, training 15 transwomen in rescue operations.
• The team underwent rigorous training in rescue swimming, inflatable rescue boat operation, dry and wet lifesaving techniques, motorboat handling, and First Aid and CPR.
• This initiative aims to enhance disaster response capabilities and promote social inclusion and recognition for the transgender community.

Detailed Insights:

• The Kolhapur District Disaster Management Authority has a history of pioneering volunteer units, including the state's first all-women rescue unit, the Aapda Sakhi team, established in 2019.
• The first batch of 10 transwomen, associated with the Kolhapur-based Maitri NGO, began their training in May, with a total of 15 transwomen trained so far.
• The initiative seeks to challenge societal stereotypes, as members of the transgender community often face discrimination and are perceived primarily as sex workers or beggars.
• The training not only equips them with critical rescue skills but also aims to boost their self-confidence and integrate them into mainstream society.
• Future plans include expanding their training to cover around 30 categories of man-made and natural disasters, including wildlife rescues.
• Efforts are underway to grant the transwomen volunteers Home Guard status, which would provide them with an honorarium and further recognition for their service.
• Similar initiatives for transgender inclusion in disaster risk reduction have been undertaken in other states, such as Kerala, which launched a comprehensive program in collaboration with the Social Justice Department.

Key Concepts Involved:

• District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA): A body responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing disaster management measures at the district level as per the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
• Home Guard: A voluntary force that supports police and other security agencies, paid daily wages or honorarium based on duty, and not considered permanent government employees.
• Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): A systematic approach to identifying, assessing, and reducing the risks of disaster, aiming to minimize vulnerabilities and hazards.
• Social Inclusion: The process of improving the terms of participation in society for people who are disadvantaged, based on age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic or other status.