LocationsEvery Identity Counts: Breaking Barriers for Transgender Youth in India
August 12, 2025
Education and employment are the bedrock on which individuals build a self-dependent life—or at least, that’s the case for most. For people whose identities don’t conform to societal norms, even accessing basic education or formal employment often becomes an uphill battle.
This was the case for Sonali Khan too.
A 27-year-old trans woman, Sonali had to drop out of school because of incessant bullying from classmates. Teachers turned a blind eye, and the environment became so hostile that continuing wasn’t an option. When she finally gathered the courage to come out, she was met not with support, but with rejection. Her family abandoned her. The neighbours she grew up with ridiculed her and ignored her plight.
Like many transgender youth in India, Sonali was pushed to the margins—not by choice, but by circumstance. According to the National Human Rights Commission of India, nearly 50% of transgender persons never attend school, and only 6% are employed in formal sectors. The rest, like Sonali, often find themselves in informal work or survival-based livelihoods, battling the compounded challenges of stigma, poverty, and exclusion.
“I had to leave school when I was in 12th standard because of the daily ridicule, and soon after, my family threw me out,” said Khan, who now lives in Delhi.
The challenge of identity documentation
Although the last census in 2011 put the number of transgender persons in India at 487,803, the actual figure is expected to be much higher now. Many understandably choose not to disclose their gender identity, and even if they do, they often lack official documents that reflect their true identity.
Lack of identity documents, persistent stigma, and poor access to education continue to keep transgender persons away from formal employment. Those who embrace their true identity often start by dropping their "deadname"— the birth name they no longer use.
This, however, brings new challenges, especially when accessing government welfare schemes that require valid identity cards. Many transgender people still hold ID cards under their deadnames, making them ineligible for these schemes. Without updated ID documents, they also struggle to find jobs, rent homes, or access healthcare.
“Getting a job is not easy if you are a trans person. I applied for over 50 jobs, got called for interviews for three of them, and was promptly dismissed when they realized I was a trans woman,” said Khan.
Legal progress and policy measures
The Government of India has recognized these challenges—leading to several progressive legal reforms . These include the historic 2014 NALSA Judgement, which affirmed the right of transgender persons to self-identify their gender, and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2019, which prohibits discrimination and outlines measures for education, employment, and healthcare access.. While these are among the most progressive measures around the world, there is a long way ahead in terms of their implementation.
Schemes and initiatives for empowerment
In 2022, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) launched the ‘Support for Marginalized Individuals for Livelihoods and Enterprise (SMILE)’ scheme. This initiative focuses extensively on rehabilitation, medical facilities, counselling, education, and skill development for the transgender community. SMILE Scheme provides financial assistance to Transgender students in secondary and senior secondary school (classes IX to XII) to promote their education and reduce dropouts. Furthermore, MoSJE has initiated various skill development initiatives though Garima Grehs (Shelter homes) and other partners. These initiatives aim to provide safe housing, training, and support for livelihood opportunities. However, getting more transgender persons to register on the National Transgender Portal, operated by the MoSJE, which is the official government platform for accessing identity cards and welfare schemes, remains a challenge.
UNDP’s role in driving change
UNDP played an important role in developing the framework document on transgender welfare in India, in collaboration with community-based organizations (CBOs). This document serves as a guiding blueprint for government programmes, outlining key priorities and recommendations to improve access to education, employment, healthcare, and social protection for transgender persons. It provided inputs for designing of the SMILE scheme, ensuring it addressed real challenges faced by the community. Additionally, as part of a global initiative, UNDP India worked with community-based organizations in Bihar to help the transgender community obtain Transgender identity cards. The project includes enrolling trans persons in the National Transgender Portal. The portal facilitates the issuance of Transgender Identity Cards through district authorities. Upon successful enrolment, a trans person receives a Transgender Identity Card, which can be used to update documents such as bank accounts and PAN cards with the person’s new name. Further, it will facilitate their access to Government welfare measures.
A call for inclusion this International Youth Day
While these initiatives are bringing change on the ground, it is time that all stakeholders double down on efforts to usher in a more rapid transformation. This International Youth Day, while we seek to include the younger generation in governance and make them active partners in achieving the SDGs, let us not forget that non-binary and transgender youth, too, have an equal stake—and an active role to play.
For Sonali, having her identity recognized is more than a matter of paperwork. It is the difference between being shut out of opportunities and being able to rebuild her life with dignity. Her journey reflects what is at stake for thousands of young transgender persons across India.
The world can’t afford to leave them behind if we are truly committed to building inclusive, resilient, and just societies. Their voices, experiences, and leadership are essential to shaping a future where no one is forced to choose between their identity and their dignity. It’s time to move beyond token inclusion and ensure that every young person, regardless of gender identity, has the opportunity to learn, to thrive, and to lead.
Blog by Dr. Chiranjeev Bhattacharjya, Programme Analyst – Health, and James Jose, Communications Officer – Health System Strengthening, UNDP India.
For Sonali, having her identity recognised is more than a matter of paperwork. It is the difference between being shut out of opportunities and being able to rebuild her life with dignity. Her journey reflects what is at stake for thousands of young transgender persons across India.