The James P Grant School of Public Health conducted a flagship course on “Transforming SRHR: Transgender Diversities in Bangladesh”. Held from 12-14 February, the course explored the marginalised gender identities in relation transgender and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). Diving deeper, the participants were oriented on the larger histories of transgender and shifting meanings of the term. Furthermore, this course was the start of critical dialogues around hijra, transgender identity, body, gender and SRHR, and mobilise advocacy to address policy issues.
The course was facilitated by noted academics, lawyers, journalists and activists, including Adnan Hossain (University of Amsterdam, Netherlands), Anindya Hajra (Pratyay Gender Trust, Calcutta, India), and Charu Gupta (South Asian Studies Council, MacMillan Center, Yale University), Sara Hossain (Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust), Ananta Yusuf (The Daily Star), Shahnaz Munni (…), Ivan Ahmed Katha (icddr,b), and Joya Sikder (icddr,b).