"Transgender Equality and Visibility in Pakistan"

My name is Aradhiya Khan and I'm a 21-year-old Pakistani transwoman activist, social worker, blogger and community mobilizer who has dedicated the past four years of my life towards promoting transgender equality, human rights and other social justice causes such as child rights, women empowerment and minority rights . I'm currently working with the Akhuwat since January 2019, which is a non-profit organization that seeks to promote social and economic inclusion of the transgender community by supporting the underprivileged and old age transwomen through small loans, vocational training and other financial assistance programs. I've also consulted on transgender human rights legislation notably, the 'Transgender Protection Bill (2018)'. I've actively represented the transgender community on national and international media outlets such as Express Tribune, Dawn News, Geo News, Al Jazeera, Asia Times, VOA Urdu and Independent Urdu etc highlighting the plight of Pakistan's transgender community through awareness sessions and public speaking presentations at various non-profit organizations, universities and schools throughout the country where I've advocated for greater rights, acceptance and inclusion for Pakistan's gender and sexual minorities. As a transgender social worker, I've extensively served the transgender community of Pakistan and has been selected for national human rights and media training fellowships at Mehergarh – A Center For Learning, Aahung, CEJ-IBA and FAFEN etc. I've also volunteered for various transgender and youth-led organizations such as Sub Rang Society, LifeSavors, PECHRA, FAFEN, and Aahung etc. In July 2019, I was able to push forward with a memorandum of understanding between our organization Akhuwat and Unilever Pakistan to work on a diversity and inclusion program which aimed at creating employment opportunities at a multinational organization for the transgender community for the very first time in Pakistan. In October 2019, I was selected as the youngest transgender participant of the United States (US) State Department-funded International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) which is a premier professional and cultural exchange program. Through a one-month-long trip to five cities (Washington DC, Buffalo, Seattle, Portland and New York City) in the United States, as an emerging youth leader, I was able to experience US firsthand and cultivate lasting relationships with my American counterparts promoting LGBTQ+ equality and highlighting my work as a transgender activist from Pakistan. I've been a selfless and passionate advocate for LGBT+ equality in Pakistan and in April 2017 have volunteered for Aks Festival which is a global initiative that promotes dialogue on LGBT rights, transgender visibility and human rights through films, art and dialogue (www.aksfestival.com). Since 2016, I've been an advocate for sexual rights and reproductive health after I've been part of a Rutgers International funded project called “HYPE-Karachi” which was an advocacy network for reproductive health advocates, health care professionals and LGBT youth to highlight the importance of gender equality and reproductive health rights in Pakistan (http://www.rutgers.international). Since 2017, I continue to serve as a transgender ambassador and consultant for “Queeristan,”, which is Pakistan's first LGBTQ magazine and e-collective for gender and sexual minorities in the country. (https://medium.com/@QueeristanPK) #IStandwithHer