Australian Vice Consul Harriot White interacts with transgender rights activist Akkai Padmashali in Bengaluru on Thursday. Akkai is also the founder of Ondede.
Credit: DH PHOTO/PUSHKAR V
Bengaluru: Harriet White, Vice Consul, Australian Consulate-General, Bengaluru, on Thursday visited Ondede, a city-based organisation working for the rights and well-being of the transgender community.
The visit aimed at understanding community issues and exploring collaboration.
Ondede founder Akkai Padmashali highlighted challenges such as social exclusion, discrimination, and lack of legal recognition for same-sex relationships. While the judiciary has shown support, she said the executive and legislature lag, creating a policy disconnect.
She explained how Ondede trains government officials and works with academia, civil society, and the judiciary to strengthen the LGBTQIA+ movement. Harriet expressed interest in specific collaborations with Ondede to support the transgender community.
Akkai also underlined Ondede’s focus on working-class and non-English speaking transgender people, along with its coalition model that unites social movements for rights advocacy.
Mental health and skill development formed a major part of the discussions. Ondede runs a peer counselling programme by training community members and offers livelihood initiatives such as tailoring and mushroom cultivation to promote economic empowerment.
What the transgender community needs from the govt:
Five schemes guarantee
Housing
Pension scheme
Freelance assignments
Employment opportunities
Free sex reassignment surgery & healthcare support
Transgender census
Dedicated office
Project funding