Kozhikode: A transgender has been chosen as a para- legal volunteer of the Legal Services Authority for the first time in Kozhikode. Pokkunnu-native Sisily George is one of the 74 para-legal volunteers (PLVs) who have been inducted by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) to serve the people who need legal aid in the district. Sisily George, who is the coordinator of the transgender people in Kozhikode, is also the president of Punarjani, an organization for the welfare of the transgender community.
Sisily George, who spoke to DC on the sidelines of a training programme for the PLVs by the DLSA here on Friday, said that the decision to join the PLVs would help in better serving the community. “At present the members face a lot of problems, including sexual harassments, police intimidation etc. Becoming a para-legal volunteer would help me in understanding the laws better and also make the community members aware about the laws and their rights,” George added. There are over 350 transgenders in Kozhikode.
Pathanamthitta and Malappuram districts already have transgender para- legal volunteers. Three members from the scheduled tribe communities are also among the volunteers inducted in the district. They are retired sales tax officer C.K. Velayudhan and Vineetha P.K. from Karimpala community and A. Balakrishnan from Muthuva community. “Raising more PLVs from the weaker sections would help in the empowerment of those communities,” opined Kozhikode DLSA secretary and Sub-Judge R.L. Baiju.
