Executive summary

Transgender persons in Pakistan face longstanding social exclusion, barriers to education and healthcare, limited formal employment opportunities, and heightened exposure to harassment and violence. Over the past decade, the policy environment has evolved: Pakistan has enacted a dedicated federal law recognizing gender identity and prohibiting discrimination, and the national census has included a transgender category. However, official statistics remain limited, and service delivery is uneven across provinces and districts. This report summarizes the latest official information available, highlights major gaps in data and implementation, and proposes practical actions for government and partners to improve inclusion, safety, and access to services.

Primary official sources used

• Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS): 7th Population & Housing Census 2023 — National Census Report; Census 2023 tables (Table 14: population & employment by gender and rural/urban).
• Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS): 6th Population & Housing Census 2017 — salient features / final results archives.
• Parliament of Pakistan: Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 (National Assembly PDF) and Pakistan Code portal.
• Government of Punjab: Draft Transgender Persons Welfare Policy (published on a Government portal).
• National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR): Report on Transgender Persons (government commission publication).

Important note on data: Nationally representative statistics specific to transgender persons are sparse. Where indicators are not available from official data, this report emphasizes documented policy commitments, service delivery mechanisms, and identified data gaps.

1) Demographic profile in official statistics

1.1 Census inclusion and reported counts

Pakistan’s population censuses include a transgender category. PBS’s published materials for Census 2017 and Census 2023 show transgender persons reported separately from male and female totals. Interpretation requires caution because different census tables report different universes (e.g., total population vs. specific age groups or labour-force-related modules) and because under-reporting is possible due to stigma, enumeration practices, and household reporting dynamics.

Key published official figures and where they appear:

• Census 2017 salient features table: reports transgender population separately from male and female in the national sex distribution table (units indicated in the PBS table).
• Census 2023 Table 14 (population & employment by gender and rural/urban): reports transgender persons within the table’s population universe and provides rural/urban breakdown.

1.2 What Census 2023 Table 14 indicates (population/employment module)

PBS Census 2023 Table 14 provides a gender breakdown (male, female, transgender) along with rural/urban splits for the table’s population universe and several employment status categories. At the national level, the table reports 20,331 transgender persons in the relevant population universe, with 4,842 in rural areas and 15,489 in urban areas. The same table provides transgender counts across employment categories (e.g., employed, unemployed, not in labour force) within the table’s universe.

1.3 Implications and caution

The small transgender count appearing in certain tables does not necessarily reflect the true population size. It may reflect the specific universe of the table (for example, age-limited or labour-force-related populations), and it may be influenced by under-enumeration. For planning and budgeting, government agencies typically triangulate census data with administrative records (e.g., CNIC registration, social protection registries, and service delivery data) where available—while also investing in safer and more accurate enumeration.

2) Legal and policy framework

Pakistan’s principal federal legal instrument is the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018. The Act recognizes the right of a person to be recognized in accordance with their self-perceived gender identity and outlines protections against discrimination across key domains such as education, employment, healthcare, and access to public services. Implementation requires harmonization with provincial rules, administrative procedures, and service standards.

2.1 Key rights and obligations (high-level)

• Legal recognition of gender identity and related documentation pathways.
• Non-discrimination in education, employment, healthcare, and access to services.
• Right to inheritance and property rights consistent with applicable law and documentation.
• Protection from harassment and abuse; duty on institutions to provide safe environments.

2.2 Provincial initiatives and welfare policies

Provincial governments have initiated welfare and inclusion measures in varying forms. For example, the Government of Punjab has published a draft Transgender Persons Welfare Policy, which outlines proposals related to healthcare access, education support, protection mechanisms, and social inclusion. Such policies require financing, clear institutional ownership, and monitoring frameworks to translate into practical service delivery.

3) Access to services and inclusion outcomes

3.1 Civil registration and documentation

Access to identity documentation is foundational for inclusion because CNICs enable access to banking, education enrollment, health services, and social protection. The 2018 Act provides for recognition consistent with gender identity. Administrative continuity and clarity in procedures are essential to reduce exclusion risks.

3.2 Education

Transgender persons face barriers to school participation due to stigma, bullying, unsafe learning environments, and household exclusion. Education sector responses typically require: anti-bullying and protection protocols, safe reporting mechanisms, inclusive school policies, teacher sensitization, and pathways for re-entry (including non-formal education and bridging programs).

3.3 Health (including mental health)

Barriers in healthcare frequently include stigma, denial of services, and lack of provider training. Inclusion-oriented health responses include: provider sensitization, non-discriminatory service standards, confidentiality protections, referral pathways for mental health support, and targeted outreach for preventive care. Where available, community-based services and partnerships with civil society can improve uptake.

3.4 Employment and livelihoods

Census tables provide some insight into employment categories, but they do not capture discrimination dynamics. Many transgender persons remain excluded from formal employment due to stigma and limited educational access. High-impact actions include skills-to-jobs programming, anti-discrimination workplace protections, employer engagement, and access to finance for micro and small enterprises.

3.5 Social protection and welfare services

Social protection programs can reduce vulnerability if they are accessible without discrimination and if eligibility and registration pathways accommodate transgender persons. Key requirements include: documentation access, inclusive grievance redress, and service delivery through safe and respectful channels.

4) Safety, violence, and access to justice

Safety concerns are a central issue for transgender persons. Effective protection requires prevention, responsive policing, survivor-centered health and psychosocial services, and accessible legal aid. Institutions can strengthen protection by establishing focal points, training frontline officials, maintaining referral networks, and tracking response performance through administrative data.

5) Data gaps and measurement priorities

A major constraint in evidence-based planning is the limited availability of official, routinely updated indicators specific to transgender persons. Priority measurement gaps include: school enrollment/retention, health service coverage, employment quality, income security, exposure to violence, and housing vulnerability. Improved measurement requires safe data collection protocols, confidentiality protections, and community participation to reduce under-reporting.

• Limited routine administrative reporting disaggregated for transgender persons across education, health, labor, and social protection systems.
• Potential under-enumeration due to stigma and household reporting; inconsistent universes across published tables.
• Few publicly available provincial/district dashboards that track service access and outcomes over time.

6) Priority action package (next 12–24 months)

1. Establish an official, privacy-protecting indicator dashboard for transgender inclusion across core sectors (education, health, labor, social protection, justice).
2. Issue clear administrative SOPs for respectful service delivery and grievance redress in schools, hospitals, police stations, and social welfare offices.
3. Scale inclusive education measures: anti-bullying protocols, teacher training, safe reporting, and re-entry pathways through non-formal/bridging programs.
4. Strengthen primary healthcare inclusion through provider training, non-discrimination standards, and targeted outreach for preventive and mental health services.
5. Launch skills-to-jobs and enterprise support programs with employer partnerships and safe workplace mechanisms.
6. Develop protection and justice pathways: trained focal points, referral networks, legal aid support, and performance monitoring for case handling.
7. Support community-based service models and safe spaces in partnership with credible organizations, with oversight and accountability.

Annex: official documents and download locations

• PBS National Census Report 2023 (PDF): https://www.pbs.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/National-Census-Report-2023.pdf
• PBS Census 2023 Table 14 (National) — population & employment by gender/rural-urban (PDF): https://www.pbs.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/census_tables/tables/table_14_national.pdf
• PBS Census 2017 salient features (PDF): https://www.pbs.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/sailent_feature_census_2017.pdf
• Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, 2018 — National Assembly PDF: https://www.na.gov.pk/uploads/documents/1526547582_234.pdf
• Transgender Persons (Protection and Rights) Act, 2018 — Pakistan Code portal: https://pakistancode.gov.pk/english/UY2FqaJw1-apaUY2Fqa-apaUY2Nob54%3D-sg-jjjjjjjjjjjjj
• Government of Punjab — Draft Transgender Persons Welfare Policy (PDF): https://health.punjab.gov.pk/uploads/downloads/1148Draft%20Transgender%20Persons%20Welfare%20Policy.pdf
• NCHR — Report on Transgender Persons (PDF): https://nchr.gov.pk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Report-on-Transgender-Persons-A-Need-for-Mainstreaming-2017.pdf